In 2024, the Municipality of Brescia began preparatory actions for the development of the Air and Climate Plan. This plan is part of a broader municipal initiative on the subject, which includes other strategic plans like the SECAP – Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan, the Sustainable Mobility Urban Plan, the Territorial Government Plan, and the Climate Transition Strategy “A Natural Thread.”

The Air and Climate Plan will enable the city to contribute locally to achieving the ambitious goals set by the European Union for both carbon neutrality and air quality. Its purpose is to contribute to climate change mitigation and to define corresponding adaptation strategies, upholding the principles of the right to health, equity, and justice, and prioritizing social inclusion and the protection of vulnerable populations in the selection of actions.

Alongside the drafting process and with the plan’s adoption anticipated for January 2026, the Municipality of Brescia has tasked Poliedra with creating a participatory process. This process aims to engage stakeholders, representatives of organized civil society, as well as Neighborhood Councils and the local community, to gather their perspectives and integrate them into the Air and Climate Plan.

The Role of Poliedra

Poliedra is responsible for designing, leading, and facilitating all participation and citizen engagement activities supporting the drafting of the Air and Climate Plan. This includes implementing reporting and monitoring methodologies, while working in synergy with the Municipality’s Technical Offices, the Urban Center, the Participation Office, and the communication team.

The participatory process designed by Poliedra for the PAC includes the following phases:

• End of 2024: the territorial stakeholders map is completed and refined, the main contextual elements are collected (using study materials, questionnaires, interviews, and ad hoc meetings), and the participatory process is finalized and presented in appropriate forums.
• 2025: a series of interactive meetings for stakeholders and Neighborhood Councils are held on the vision and objectives of the Air and Climate Plan, based on guidelines developed by the Plan drafters and the Air and Climate Observatory. This will be followed by thematic workshops for stakeholders on the Plan’s areas (Air, Mitigation, and Adaptation), and meetings across different city zones to gather local perspectives on climate and air quality.
• A final workshop and public presentation of the findings will conclude the process, followed by the PAC drafters’ review and integration of results into the document slated for adoption in early 2026.