Finnish citizens lead the charge for climate-resilient daily solutions
The transition to a climate-neutral society requires more than top-down regulation. It demands active participation from the communities where life actually happens. Recognising this, the EU-funded URBAN PROSUMERS(opens in new window) project has launched a groundbreaking initiative in the Tampere region, inviting citizens, non-profit organisations and local enterprises to become active producers and consumers of sustainable solutions. Integrated within the wider Finland(opens in new window) (NetZeroCities network), the project is distributing EUR 180 000 in community grants to foster innovative, everyday solutions that improve climate resilience. Titled ‘Citizen Solutions to Sustainability Challenges’ community grant(opens in new window), the call for applications is open until 30 September 2026. It targets ideas that address three critical pillars of urban sustainability: mobility, energy and food. Whether it is a community-led urban farming initiative, a shared electric mobility scheme or an innovative local energy trading model, the project seeks experiments that can be implemented between 1 February and 30 September 2027. Grants ranging from EUR 5 000 to EUR 60 000 are available to eligible applicants based in the Tampere city region. The objective is not merely to fund isolated projects but to generate transferable knowledge and experience of resident participation and co-development that could lead to further local climate and nature initiatives.
From passive residents to active co-creators
The philosophy underpinning URBAN PROSUMERS is that those living in a city possess unique insights into its challenges and opportunities. By redistributing EU funding directly to smaller actors through a financial-support-to-third-parties mechanism, the project bypasses traditional bureaucratic hurdles, allowing grassroots ideas to flourish. At the same time, the City of Tampere gains valuable data on what drives successful citizen engagement, thus informing future climate and nature strategies. “Throughout the spring, we gathered information on residents’ experiences and views at various community events,” states Elina Pulliainen from the City of Tampere in a news item(opens in new window). “The material has been compiled, and we hope it will also support and inspire the planning of community projects. The material is available to everyone and can be found on the community grant information page.” The scope of the project is deliberately broad, encompassing both technological innovations and social operating models. The project encourages applications that propose new services, sustainable business opportunities, or novel forms of cooperation between residents and local actors. To support applicants, the project has published information slides(opens in new window) that are based on a webinar held in August this year. A dedicated web page also provides a list of Frequently Asked Questions(opens in new window). By empowering citizens to test and validate their own solutions, URBAN PROSUMERS (URBAN PROSUMERS – towards a knowledge transfer hub for empowering citizens as producers and consumers of sustainable solutions to climate-neutrality) is creating a living lab for the climate-neutral cities of tomorrow. For more information, please see: URBAN PROSUMERS project web page(opens in new window)
