From Citizens to Culture: Building Lasting Climate Action in Cork

Cork County Council was closely involved in developing the HYBES project application in 2023, collaborating with Nordland Research Institute. Since then, CCC has contributed across a wide range of work packages and thematic areas, bringing extensive experience from EU co-funded projects into the partnership. Among the many activities, two contributions stand out for their long-term impact:
The Citizen’s Guide to Decarbonisation and the Capitalisation Plan.

A citizen’s guide designed for reuse and impact

CCC led the development of a template and structure for a Citizens’ Guide to Decarbonisation, an evidence-based design created in close collaboration with partners across the Interreg NPA programme area.

Rather than producing a single local guide, the focus was on co-designing a transferable solution. Research, academic literature, and best-practice examples from across the NPA region were used to inform the template, demonstrating the value of transnational learning.

The result is a flexible guide structure that:

• Supports citizens in understanding and taking action on decarbonisation
• Can be adapted by partner organisations to their own local contexts
• Can be developed into an online application by regions that wish to take it from ideation to delivery

Planning for life after the project

Another major contribution from Cork County Council has been its leadership in developing the HYBES Capitalisation Plan. This legacy document sets out how project results will be:

• Sustained after the project end date (31 January 2026)
• Further developed or replicated in other regions.
• Supported through relevant EU funding programmes and calls

The plan includes a structured reflection on HYBES activities, deliverables, and outputs, alongside practical guidance on future funding mechanisms. It will be supported by a dedicated twin website, where project results can be accessed online for review, evaluation, and potential replication.

Together, these tools ensure that HYBES outcomes remain active resources rather than static reports.

A local success: art meets climate action

At the local level, one particularly meaningful success was an engagement event with local artists, hosted by Cork County Council in collaboration with University College Cork in November 2025.

The event explored the intersection of art and climate action, recognising art as a powerful medium for translating climate science and policy into accessible, emotionally engaging forms. By working with artists—often underrepresented in public consultation processes—the event opened new pathways for embedding climate action into:

• Future artistic commissions
• Public art installations
• Wider public awareness and behavioural change

Representatives from the Creative Ireland Programme also took part, strengthening links between climate policy and Ireland’s national framework for cultural and creative engagement.

Learning across borders

One of the most positive aspects of HYBES for Cork County Council has been the opportunity for shared learning and capacity building. While CCC brings significant experience in EU-funded projects, the exchange of practices, processes, and technologies with other partners has added substantial value to the organisation’s own work. At the same time, CCC’s expertise has supported other partners across the NPA region in advancing their decarbonisation efforts—illustrating the mutual benefits of transnational collaboration.

Based on its experience, Cork County Council offers clear advice to organisations considering similar cross-border initiatives:

• Take the opportunity—the added value is significant.
• Allocate sufficient time to proposal development.
• Involve relevant local stakeholders from the start.
• Focus on outputs that can be capitalised on beyond the project.

Preparation, collaboration, and openness to learning are key. As HYBES has shown, these elements are central to delivering meaningful and lasting climate action across regions.