Support the GreenDEMO Capability Check: Help Shape a European Evidence Base on City Innovation

© GreenDEMO / Fraunhofer ISI

Cities across Europe are under increasing pressure to deliver ambitious climate action while maintaining public trust and democratic legitimacy. But what enables some city administrations to innovate more effectively than others? Our partners in the Horizon Europe project GreenDEMO have launched a capability check to find out — and they are inviting city administrations across the Danube Region and beyond to take part.

At TiCCA4DANU, we work to strengthen the capabilities of city-regions to drive just, transformative climate change adaptation. That mission aligns closely with GreenDEMO, coordinated by Fraunhofer ISI, which is exploring how European city administrations build the capabilities needed to advance democratic green transitions. To support this shared goal, we are helping to spread the word about their new survey.

What the capability check explores

The check, developed by the UCL Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose (IIPP), builds on wider research into how city governments can strengthen their ability to experiment, collaborate, learn, and implement innovative approaches that support both sustainability and democratic governance. A recent GreenDEMO policy brief mapped more than 400 innovations across European cities and found that, while many cities are already experimenting with new approaches, they often struggle to scale and institutionalise these innovations across public administrations.

The 15-minute online survey focuses on how city administrations:

• innovate at the intersection of democracy and sustainability,
• sustain these innovative activities over time by embedding them into organisational routines,
• and develop the organisational capabilities required to make this possible.

Who can take part

The initiative is open to civil servants and public officials working in European city governments, particularly those working on:

• green transition and climate policy,
• innovation and experimentation,
• citizen participation and engagement,
• strategy and planning,
• and legal or governance departments.

What participants receive

Participants will contribute to a growing European evidence base on public sector innovation for democratic green transitions, helping researchers and practitioners better understand which organisational capabilities support successful climate governance and democratic legitimacy in cities. In return, they will receive:

• an accessible summary report of the findings by the end of 2026,
• and, where five colleagues from the same city participate, a tailored capability profile enabling comparison with peer city administrations across Europe.

Take part

Take the survey here: https://qualtrics.ucl.ac.uk/jfe/form/SV_7NIQwadWcNrHAVg

For questions about the research, please contact anna.kurth@ucl.ac.uk.

More information is available on the GreenDEMO capability check page.