Strategy Document - Shared Green Socities

Report

Across Europe, the need for a just and inclusive green transition has never been more urgent. Despite a proliferation of local innovation and a growing body of Social Sciences and Humanities (SSH) research, efforts toward this transition remain fragmented, and critical links between academic insights and grassroots action are often missing.

Civil society actors, local authorities, and communities working at the frontlines of sustainability challenges may face difficulties in accessing, applying, or influencing research. At the same time, researchers need to better understand realities ‘on the ground’ and are looking for opportunities to connect their findings with real-world impact.

In this context, there is a pressing need for a forum that bridges the gap between evidence, practice, and policy, and fosters collaboration across sectors and disciplines.

This strategy document outlines our vision for creating a forum (i.e. a collaborative community) that responds to these needs. The strategy emerged from a process of co-creation with stakeholders, partners, and European Commission actors¹. It defines a shared vision for a dynamic, participatory, and interdisciplinary forum that enables mutual learning, supports community-led initiatives, and amplifies the voices of underrepresented groups in shaping Europe’s green future.

The forum sets out to become a vital connector: translating research into action, turning lived experiences into knowledge, and aligning grassroots innovation with policy transformation.

The Shared Green Societies Forum will be officially launched in January 2026 and will run until at least 2030. A number of funded forum activities are planned up till 2027. After that date, a sustainability plan will be put in place, under the leadership of the European Association for Local Democracy (ALDA Europe) and Anglia Ruskin University’s Global Sustainability Institute.

Shared Green Societies, Strategy Document