From June 13–15, CEES 2025 gathered researchers, practitioners, and policy experts in Bari, Italy, for a wide-ranging exploration of sustainability in construction, urban planning, and energy. This year’s theme — Community Challenges and Policies — focused on inclusive urban development, smart cities, health, and social equity. Representing the PED-ACT project, Bahanur Nasya presented our paper, PED Manifesto – a collaborative framework for top-down and bottom-up projects, and introduced the audience to the methods and motivations behind the PED Manifesto.
The presentation sparked interest and discussion around the necessity of integrating community voices and transparent methodologies into energy transition frameworks. The audience — ranging from architects to urban researchers — resonated with the call for accessible tools and collaborative frameworks that engage all stakeholders, particularly citizens. The session reinforced the urgent need for participatory energy planning and left us inspired by the thoughtful dialogue it fostered.
A framework shaped by people, grounded in practice
The PED Manifesto is a living public document developed through the PED-ACT project and grounded in real-world experience across Austria, Turkey, and Sweden. It is built upon the PED Matrix — an evaluation framework that assesses energy projects across eight key aspects, from governance to technical and social factors. The manifesto outlines five core demands for inclusive and just energy transitions, alongside ten actionable recommendations that empower citizens, decision-makers, and institutions alike.
Rather than proposing a one-size-fits-all solution, the manifesto serves as a tool for reflection and co-creation. It encourages participatory planning and bottom-up engagement as essential complements to top-down strategies. In Bari, this message aligned seamlessly with the broader CEES 2025 agenda: putting people and equity at the center of sustainable transformation.
From paper to practice: shaping future transitions together
At Wonderland, we see community-building and creative engagement as the foundation of any successful energy transition. Our role in shaping the PED Manifesto draws on years of work with local actors, from fieldwork and documentary filmmaking to facilitating urban living labs. The manifesto’s structure reflects this, developed through research, storytelling, and listening.
As energy scarcity, climate challenges, and urbanization continue to converge, empowering citizens becomes not just important but imperative. CEES 2025 highlighted that community-centered solutions are no longer peripheral, they are central to building resilient, inclusive cities. And the PED Manifesto is one step forward in turning that vision into reality. The paper will be published in September, and we’re looking forward to sharing it with you then.
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