Path to Zero: City Stories - When citizens lead in cities – engaging local people in local climate action, with Nantes Métropole and Guimarães
Host: Sean Errey | Produced by NetZeroCities What does it actually take to bring an entire city on board with climate action? In the first episode of Path to Zero: City Stories, host Sean Errey explores one of the most critical drivers of climate progress: citizen engagement. Drawing on the experiences of Guimarães in Portugal and Nantes Métropole in France, this episode reveals how meaningful involvement goes far beyond ticking boxes, from Citizens’ Assemblies to multi-month group challenges. Carlos Ribeiro of Guimarães' Landscape Lab shares how a 2013 environmental diagnosis exposed a deep disconnection between citizens and nature, sparking a decade-long journey of co-creation and trust-building. Elise Lindner from Nantes Métropole describes how annual climate challenges have evolved into immersive, community-led adventures, including a now-legendary challenge to go screen-free for a weekend. Both cities are candid about the gaps that remain, and both offer powerful lessons in making the path to zero a truly shared endeavour.