The first five episodes of “Green Stories, European Voices” are now available on Spotify!

Listen here 👉 https://open.spotify.com/show/07cMUAFgo6HYK9waUP5Q7U?si=1edeb4d9feb248b8

How can we make the ecological transition democratic, inclusive, and participatory?

This is the core question driving PHOENIX, a Horizon 2020 European project exploring new forms of citizen participation to shape a greener and fairer future. Through deliberative assemblies, local experiments, and civic innovation, PHOENIX is working to bring people and institutions closer—right where climate challenges are most urgent.

🎙️ To share this journey, we’ve launched a new podcast series: “Green Stories, European Voices”.

Ten episodes. Ten territories. One democratic path toward the European Green Deal.

From Iceland to Hungary, Portugal to France, each episode tells a real story of how communities are acting on the climate crisis through democratic innovation.

THE FIRST FIVE EPISODES — OUT NOW

Episode 1 | Polycrisis: A democratic response

🎧 with Alessio Giussani and Giovanni Allegretti

Europe is facing multiple crises—including a democratic one. This episode explores how new participatory processes can help renew trust, empower citizens, and support the ecological transition from the bottom up.

Episode 2 | Hot-land: Rising temperatures and land use in Iceland

🎧 with Jon Olafsson and Benjamin David Hennig

How is climate change affecting Iceland’s fragile ecosystem? This episode investigates how PHOENIX helped connect local rural communities with national institutions to address rising temperatures and land use challenges in the agricultural sector.

Episode 3 | I’m on fire: Wildfire prevention and climate adaptation

🎧 with Giovanni Allegretti and Annabela Paula

Focused on the Gata-Malcata pilot between Portugal and Spain, this episode addresses how communities are tackling wildfires, engaging local actors in cross-border collaboration and finding new ways to manage and prevent environmental risks.

Episode 4 | Blowing in the wind: Offshore wind energy in France

🎧 with Guillaume Guesnon and Carmen Bouri de Santiago

Offshore wind is a key part of Europe’s energy future. This episode highlights the PHOENIX pilot in France, which promotes civic involvement in renewable energy planning, showing how the green transition can be powered by local communities.

Episode 5 | No One Left Behind: Citizens’ Assembly in Szeged, Hungary

🎧 with Gyula Nagy, Nándor Zoltán Traser, and András Szkalisity

As the Hungarian city of Szeged faces increasing heatwaves and pollution, a local Citizens’ Assembly tackles transportation, waste, and urban green spaces—showcasing how collective intelligence can lead to local climate action.

🌿 ABOUT THE PODCAST

At a time when democratic institutions are under pressure, “Green Stories, European Voices” gives the floor to researchers, activists, public servants, and community leaders who are building new forms of environmental democracy.

The series is part of PHOENIX, a three-year EU-funded project involving 11 countries and over a dozen pilot projects aimed at experimenting with democratic innovations to support the ecological transition. The podcast brings these local experiences to life—highlighting voices that often remain unheard and sharing practical examples of climate action from below.

🧭 COMING NEXT…

The remaining five episodes will be released soon and will cover:

• Food gardening and community health in Portugal

• Climate inequality and participatory resilience in Rouen, France

• Circular food economies in Estonia

• Urban transformation and democratic innovation in Italy and Spain

• Key lessons for participation in the green transition from across Europe

Stay tuned, follow us on Spotify, and join the conversation.

💬 The future of the green transition is not only technical—it’s democratic.