At the 6th NEUTRALPATH General Assembly, partners and citizens explored practical ways to turn climate-neutral district plans into action
Turning climate-neutral districts into real, liveable urban areas requires more than good planning: cities need clear communication with residents, feasible technical solutions and the ability to learn from each other. During the latest project meeting held in Vantaa, Finland, NEUTRALPATH partners had the chance to put this into practice, testing new tools and meeting with local residents.
“The General Assembly in Vantaa was a great opportunity not only to align project activities and exchange practical experiences between cities, but also to strengthen the collaboration among partners and with the City of Vantaa team. The open discussions, technical workshops and shared reflections on the challenges ahead made the meeting especially valuable and inspiring for the next steps of NEUTRALPATH” commented the project coordinator Cecilia Sanz Montalvillio from CARTIF.
Over two days, on 19 and 20 May 2026, project partners reviewed progress across the five cities involved, exchanging practical lessons on implementation and citizen engagement. This is central to NEUTRALPATH’s main focus: making the transition visible and understandable for local communities. The active involvement of residents and neighbours through meetings in Zaragoza, for example, has helped to build clearer communication and acceptance, by presenting the timing and phases of planned works as technical interventions move closer to construction.
Hosted in Vantaa, the meeting was closely connected to the city’s own work on sustainable urban development. An open day organised in the Aviapolis district offered an opportunity to present NEUTRALPATH and engage citizens around Vantaa’s sustainability ambitions in the district’s development. The Discover Aviapolis event offered an engaging overview of the area’s ongoing zoning planning, construction projects, and climate-smart energy solutions. Residents and visitors took part in guided tours to explore the district’s history and current development and connect directly with experts, gaining insights and sharing ideas about the future of Aviapolis.
“The open day showed the strength of collaboration in Aviapolis. NEUTRALPATH partners, local stakeholders and city departments came together to make the event happen, providing a valuable opportunity for citizens to take part in shaping the transforming district together”, said the city coordinator Eira Linko from the City of Vantaa.
Partners had also the opportunity to learn more about progress along the pathway to the energy transition, including the VARANTO project presented by Vantaan Energia. Through a series of dedicated workshops and the testing of co-design and capacity-building tools, partners explored how lessons learned from the project can support other urban areas, while addressing technical, social, financial and governance barriers.
City-to-city learning was indeed an important focus of the meeting. A dedicated exchange session between the two lighthouse cities Zaragoza and Dresden offered a space to compare approaches, discuss implementation challenges and reflect on how local conditions, governance and existing infrastructure shape climate-neutral solutions.
The outcomes of the Vantaa meeting will support the next phases of the NEUTRALPATH project, which will continue to work towards its main goal: helping European cities move closer to delivering climate-neutral districts in real urban environments.
