Fungi Fiesta: Discovering the Joy of Mushrooms!

ISABEL: In 2013, our newly elected mayor asked my university for an environmental assessment of the city. The assessment revealed ecological harm primarily attributed to our textile, cutlery, and footwear sectors.

However, it also highlighted a disconnect between the populace and the natural environment. There was a significant deficiency in climate understanding. The pivotal moment was the mayor prioritizing it on the political agenda, questioning: how can we tackle these setbacks and progress? Furthermore, how can we instill climate and environmental understanding among our residents? He ensured the involvement of all political factions, which was crucial.

Simultaneously, he restructured the city government, uniting critical environmental strategy sectors – mobility, waste management, noise, air quality, nature, and biodiversity – under one collective framework. This established a multidisciplinary climate transition team, integrating climate-focused management into the initiative, with the most skilled city professionals collaborating.

The mayor, alongside City Hall and the Universities of Minho and Trás-os-Montes, also established The Landscape Laboratory, a non-profit organization centered on research and innovation. Its researchers offer scientific data to guide political actions. Additionally, there are environmental education and awareness initiatives, with a focused team engaging with schools, impacting 20,000 students through over 900 activities annually. This enhances climate and environmental knowledge, enabling citizens. Furthermore, there is a mission framework linking the various elements: citizens, science, private sector, city government, landscape laboratory. The journey towards climate adaptation is prolonged, and we refer to it as a mission structure because we are indeed advocates on this path.

GAVIN: How does the city incorporate smart technologies into its endeavors to minimize that carbon footprint?

I: Guimaraes is recognized as part of the EU Mission to create Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities. We envision transforming into a One Planet City by 2050 (currently, global consumption exceeds the resources of one planet). We assess our ecological footprint at the city level while also equipping citizens with a personal calculator to assess their own ecological impact. Comprehensive measurement of all activities is essential. We have developed a digital platform for monitoring air quality and noise levels. In addition, we assess the rivers’ water quality to mitigate flood risks, alongside traffic evaluation. All data from this platform is accessible to residents, as well as the climate transition team for analysis and enhancement of the city’s climate efficiency.

G: You seem enthusiastic about what Guimaraes is accomplishing to significantly alter its operational methods.

I: Initially, we perceived ourselves as a small city: what impact could we truly make? Understanding that we couldn’t emulate the initiatives of larger cities, we adopted a distinct strategy. We commenced with minor projects, most of which could be financed through municipal budgets. These initiatives are closely aligned with citizens and scientific principles, enabling the management of key performance metrics and fostering a collaborative approach. Subsequently, this model can be replicated as many times as necessary.

G: You are developing it from a modest foundation?

I: I refer to it as the mushroom theory – provide the right conditions and they will flourish.

G: It appears that Guimaraes now has a plethora of mushrooms?

I: It’s akin to a pop-up phenomenon. Numerous substantial projects have stemmed from small initiatives: 53% of our projects are indeed small-scale endeavors. This fosters a sense of ownership – the community embraces the challenge.

G: Thus, it’s not solely a top-down approach. Citizens are also contributing?

I: Absolutely, and they connect with the challenge: it’s not merely the city’s responsibility; it’s theirs as well. It was crucial to engage the private sector, as the majority of the city’s emissions originated from transport and industrial activities. Therefore, we initiated the climate city pact, aligning their goals with those of the city. Nearly 200 companies are participants, predominantly small or medium-sized. They require innovation and technical assistance, hence we provide the resources to facilitate their planning, measure their carbon impact, and identify strategic investment areas to meet the city’s 2030 objectives.

G: What part does intelligent technology play in your systematic approach?

I: We deploy sensors for transportation that yield the necessary data related to traffic, noise, and air quality. It’s vital to have measurement tools and sensors in all hubs since we operate under a poly-centric model, with traffic stemming from adjacent cities and other focal points. Mobility is one of our greatest challenges. Since 2016, the municipality has been upgrading its fleet, currently comprising 40% electric vehicles. Additionally, one stipulation for the public transport contract mandates their transition to electric solutions. At present, 46% of kilometers traveled in Guimaraes involve electric vehicles.

We have also established charging stations throughout the city. The transition to electric vehicles is welcomed; however, it’s equally important to motivate individuals to switch from personal transport to public transport or alternative modes of mobility. Simply replacing all vehicles with EVs does not resolve traffic congestion. It’s a mobility framework, and we’re currently analyzing how these transitions influence emissions.

G: Are you collaborating with technology firms and research institutions to achieve all this?

I: We are in the nascent stages of doing so. The municipality has opted to focus on enhancing the capabilities of the climate transition team, utilizing innovative research institutes located in Guimaraes. However, the next step involves forging partnerships with additional companies that could aid us and inject more technology into the city.

G: What has been the most groundbreaking reform you’ve observed in the city?

I: It’s the social innovation. Elevating climate understanding necessitates the boosting of digital literacy. When you initiate inclusive approaches and encourage collective ownership of climate efforts, that represents the most significant innovation achievable. Everything evolves from this.

G: It’s a dual process: top-down reform and grassroots involvement: citizens engaging in transformation alongside authorities executing changes?

I: Precisely, we succeeded in merging these two methodologies. It’s essential. Achieving this required political agreement, and there is a prevailing positivity regarding the ongoing developments.

G: What impact do you believe AI will have in the future?

I: AI faces a challenge because when discussing social innovation, individuals’ perceptions and changing behaviors, what part does AI play in that? It’s beneficial if individuals already possess digital literacy, but for many, I have my reservations, as it largely involves addressing human emotions. We’re discussing matters of the heart and feelings.

Let me pose a question: can you pronounce Guimaraes for me?

G: Certainly, Guimaraes.

I: And now can you say it while smiling?

G: (giggling) Guimaraes.

I: It’s totally different, isn’t it? And this is how we perceive the city. We smile when we mention the name of our city, and I’m not sure how AI can infuse this type of emotion into the process. When embarking on a mission to alter circumstances, it’s essential to invest your heart, soul, emotion, and passion into the task because it’s challenging to make individuals recognize the need for changing habits, behaviors, political choices, etc. But I can undoubtedly say Guimaraes with a broad smile, and my eyes shining with joy too!

G: So, technology plays a role, but if it isn’t anchored in the feelings and enthusiasm of the populace, it lacks the essential support?

I: Absolutely, and this is the forthcoming phase for AI. Uttering the name of your city, while grinning and nearly tearing up with enthusiasm for what you are undertaking, is a sensation AI cannot currently duplicate. It’s about dedication. And dedication as a citizen involves taking action and putting forth effort, even when you’re not inspired to do so.

G: You seem certain that you’ll achieve One Planet City status by 2050?

I: Indeed. And we will achieve it as One Planet citizens. We can also motivate other mid-sized cities to replicate what we’ve accomplished. Most cities are mid-sized like ours, and recall my mushroom theory: we implement it here, it gets duplicated and will proliferate. From local to global, Guimaraes has the potential to create change.