Super Living Labs for Integrated peri-urban areas in the transition towards climate neutrality

Objective

ALTHEA aims at putting peri-urban areas at the core of the transition to climate neutrality following the successfully tested Transition Super Living Lab approach, as dynamic testing grounds for systemic change, that provides a new cross sectorial model to support peri-urban areas on achieving the change towards climate neutrality through innovation and digitalisation. ALTHEA will help Mission Cities to develop and implement cross sectorial innovative solutions aligned with their Climate City Contracts (CCC) and build up strategies and Local Green Deals that integrate the urban and peri-urban area in a symbiotic environment having mutual benefits. Through a multi-level governance approach, ALTHEA will empower five TSLLs (Antwerp-Rotterdam, Milan metropolitan region, Alicante- Elche Functional Area, Epirus-Ioannina region and Lisbon metropolitan region) and three replicator sites (Greater Copenhagen, Gdynia and Aachen) to implement 59 targeted interventions addressing four key innovation axes: sustainable mobility, decarbonized energy systems, zero-pollution industry, and cross-sectoral governance. To support this systemic transformation, ALTHEA will design and develop 21 cutting-edge and data-driven innovations, forming the ALTHEA Innovations Toolkit. These solutions will optimize transportation networks, decarbonize energy grids, enhance governance structures, and improve industrial sustainability. By bridging governance gaps, strengthening institutional capacity, and leveraging data-driven solutions, ALTHEA will position peri-urban areas as key drivers in Europe’s climate-neutral future. ALTHEA methodology and impact will be evaluated in different functional peri-urban areas: i) Cross country, ii) cross region iii) cross city and iv) city and peri-urban area, maximising its replicability potential.