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Short Abstract

Our paper presents the URBAN PROSUMERS project, using co-creation approach to engage local residents in developing climate-neutral solutions for mobility, food, and energy. We explore residents as 'urban prosumers’ who actively produce sustainable knowledge, services, and futures in cities.

Abstract

The transition towards a more sustainable society requires a fundamental shift in the roles of individuals within communities. To address this, our paper introduces the URBAN PROSUMERS project, which employs participatory action research and co-creation methods to engage local residents and stakeholders in developing climate-neutral solutions in urban contexts, focusing on sustainable mobility, food, and energy. Conceptually, we build on the notion of ‘urban prosumers’—individuals who act as both consumers and producers—to encourage active citizen participation in creating sustainable services, solutions, and knowledge within cities and their surroundings. Our approach combines citizen science and co-creation elements to identify both the tensions and the enablers that shape sustainable urban futures. Furthermore, we consider knowledge institutions, such as universities, having a crucial societal role in encouraging citizen science for knowledge sharing and production in sustainable and just societal transition.