D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge Wo kshops
Lea nings and P ojec Takeaways
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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LEGAL DISCLAIMER
This p ojec has ecei ed unding om he Eu opean Union’s Ho izon Eu ope esea ch
and inno a ion p og amme unde g an ag eemen No 101056898.
Funded by he Eu opean Union. Views and opinions exp essed a e howe e hose o
he au ho (s) only and do no necessa ily e lec hose o he Eu opean Union o
Eu opean Clima e, In as uc u e and En i onmen Execu i e Agency (CINEA). Nei he
he Eu opean Union no he g an ing au ho i y can be held esponsible o hem.
This wo k is licensed unde a C ea i e Commons A ibu ion 4.0 In e na ional
License (CC BY 4.0).
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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DOCUMENT INFORMATION
Deli e able i le
Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
Dissemina ion le el
Public
Submission deadline
28/03/2025
Ve sion numbe
2 – (01-04-2025)
Au ho s
Conall Heussa , Ugne Keliauskai e, Ru ge B oe
(B uegel)
Re iewe s
Scope o he
documen
T1.2 O ganisa ion o co-c ea ion wo kshops
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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Table o con en s
1. S akeholde engagemen s a egy and a ge ed wo kshops 6
2. Ta ge ed Wo kshops 6
Wo k Package 2: Empi ical Policy E alua ion 6
Wo k Package 3: Ad ancing Coas al We lands as Na u e-based Solu ions 8
Wo k Package 4: Inno a i e Economic Me hods 10
Wo k Package 5: Decision Making F amewo ks 12
Wo k Package 6: S akeholde Engagemen Tool 13
Wo k Package 7: Sus ainabili y compe ences in uni e si y cu icula 15
3. Nex S eps o S akeholde Engagemen 17
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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LIST OF ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS
Ac onym
Long ex
WP
Wo k package
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1. S akeholde engagemen
s a egy and a ge ed
wo kshops
DECIPHER’s cen al aim is o de elop, in conjunc ion wi h s akeholde s, an inno a i e
decision-making amewo k o policymaking in sphe es o clima e, biodi e si y and
sus ainabili y. DECIPHER’s pa ne s a e geog aphically dispe sed ac oss Eu ope, which has
allowed i o engage wi h a wide ange o expe s akeholde s. These engagemen s ha e
gi en DECIPHER pa ne s an unde s anding o he bes p ac ices in he ele an ields and
p o ided an oppo uni y o sha e he ou pu s o DECIPHER wo ks eams wi h c i ical
s akeholde s.
DECIPHER has made use o i s ne wo k o expe s akeholde s o hos a se ies o six
a ge ed wo kshops di ec ly ela ed o he p ojec wo k packages. These include empi ical
policy e alua ion (WP2), modelling o ecosys em se ices (WP3), inno a i e economic
me hods in modelling (WP4), no el decision-making amewo ks (WP5), he design o a
s akeholde engagemen ool (WP6), and he ole o sus ainabili y c i e ia in uni e si y
cu icula (WP7). Wo k package 1 co e s he s akeholde engagemen and he e o e does
no ha e a dedica ed wo kshop associa ed wi h i .
D1.2, his documen , de ails, o each wo kshops he speci ic s akeholde communi y ha
was a ge ed depended on he aims o he wo kshop in ques ion. Sec ion 2 co e s hese
de ails. The nex s eps o he p ojec a e p o ided in sec ion 3.
2. Ta ge ed Wo kshops
Wo k Package 2: Empi ical Policy E alua ion
Da e: 26/11/2024
Concep
The WP2 wo kshop on ex-pos policy e alua ion aimed o ga he a balanced g oup o
clima e, ene gy, and en i onmen al policymake s om EU, na ional, and local le els, wi h
a pa icula ocus on hose wo king on hea ing deca bonisa ion. The wo kshop sough o
explo e how policymake s e alua e he success o implemen ed policies ex-pos and how
hese e alua ions can be be e in eg a ed wi h modelling o clima e, ene gy, and
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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en i onmen al policymaking. Key objec i es included iden i ying he me hods used o
policy e alua ion, examining gaps in cu en app oaches, and conside ing how modelling
can suppo mo e e ec i e and legi ima e policy assessmen s.
A endees
Table 1. Wo k Package 2 Wo kshop A endees
O ganisa ion
Numbe o A endees
Eu opean En i onmen Agency (EEA)
2
O ganisa ion o Economic Co-ope a ion
and De elopmen (OECD)
1
Conci o
1
Ene gy Ci ies
1
DG ENER, Eu opean Commission
1
Wo ld Resou ces Ins i u e
1
Ge man Ene gy Agency (dena)
1
Discussion
The wo kshop opened wi h an o e iew o he DECIPHER p ojec . The ensuing discussion
highligh ed he ole o economic and in eg a ed assessmen models in ex-an e clima e
policy app aisal and empi ical policy e alua ion. A case s udy on EU S uc u al Funds
p o ided insigh in o he a ying e ec i eness o hese unds in educing emissions,
emphasizing he need o ailo ed policy app oaches. The deba e also ouched on he
poli ical use o economic modelling in policymaking, no ing how models se e bo h as a
ool o legi imizing p ede e mined a ge s and as a mechanism o in o ming policy
design.
Pa icipan s sha ed insigh s om hei espec i e ields, discussing challenges in policy
e alua ion, pa icula ly conce ning addi ionali y, beha iou al esponses o policies, and
da a gaps in assessing building ene gy e iciency. Case s udies, such as he Ne he lands'
app oach o na u al gas phase-ou in buildings, p o ided p ac ical examples o policy
implemen a ion complexi ies. The discussion also unde sco ed he ole o one-s op shops
and minimum ene gy pe o mance s anda ds as po en ial policy ins umen s, while
acknowledging he ba ie s posed by ma ke ailu es, ansac ion cos s, and knowledge
gaps. Va ious EU-le el e alua ion e o s we e men ioned, including assessmen s o he
Ene gy Pe o mance o Buildings Di ec i e (EPBD) and na ional ene gy pe o mance
da abases.
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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P ojec Takeaways
Key akeaways o he p ojec include he impo ance o e alua ing bo h quan i a i e and
quali a i e aspec s o policy e ec i eness, pa icula ly ega ding he eal-wo ld impac
o policy measu es. The wo kshop iden i ied he need o imp o ed me hodologies o
assess he addi ionali y o unding mechanisms, as well as he beha iou al and ma ke
dynamics in luencing policy ou comes. Se e al p omising case s udies we e p oposed o
u he in es iga ion, including localized policy app oaches, he scaling-up o bes
p ac ices, and he ole o inancial and in o ma ion-based in e en ions. Mo ing o wa d,
he p ojec will inco po a e hese insigh s in o i s esea ch design, wi h a ocus on e ining
e alua ion c i e ia and ensu ing ha policy assessmen s cap u e bo h economic and
social dimensions.
Wo k Package 3: Ad ancing Coas al We lands as
Na u e-based Solu ions
Da e: 13/11/2024
Concep
The WP3 wo kshop on we lands alua ions aimed o ga he na ional and EU policymake s,
en i onmen al NGOs, and esea che s wo king on en i onmen al assessmen , ecosys em
alua ion, and na u e-based solu ions o coas al adap a ion. The wo kshop ocused on
me hodologies o e alua ing coas al we lands and hei ecosys em se ices a a global
scale, as well as he ole o we lands as na u e-based solu ions o sea-le el ise
adap a ion. Key objec i es included unde s anding how s akeholde s use en i onmen al
alua ion in policymaking and ad ocacy, examining exis ing me hodologies o assessing
ecosys em se ices, and iden i ying how modelling can be e suppo policy and
decision-making in en i onmen al assessmen s and coas al esilience planning.
A endees
Table 2. Wo k Package 3 Wo kshop A endees
O ganisa ion
Numbe o A endees
Ins i u e o Eu opean En i onmen al Policy
1
Eu opean Cen al Bank
1
In e na ional Union o Conse a ion o
Na u e
1
Eu ope Jacques Delo s
1
Founda ion o Sus ainable De elopmen
1
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RVO Nede land
1
Eu opean In es men Bank
1
Uni ed Na ions En i onmen P og amme
1
Eu opean En i onmen Agency
1
The G een Tank
2
DG CLIMA, Eu opean Commission
1
Wo ld Me eo ological O ganisa ion
1
Discussion
A key pa o he discussion was he p esen a ion o he DIVA (Dynamic In e ac i e
Vulne abili y Assessmen ) model, a global-scale coas al impac assessmen ool used o
e alua e he p o ec i e unc ions o we lands agains sea le el ise and ex eme looding
e en s, by DECIPHER esea che Sebasiano Bacca. The esea ch demons a ed he
economic bene i s o we lands, bo h in e ms o a oided damages and addi ional wel a e
alues, emphasizing he impo ance o inco po a ing na u e-based solu ions (NbS) in o
coas al adap a ion s a egies. The model in eg a es biophysical and socio-economic
ac o s, wi h p elimina y esul s indica ing signi ican cos sa ings in a eas wi h ex ensi e
we land co e age.
Pa icipan s p o ided insigh s on he impo ance o b oadening he assessmen o
include addi ional ecosys em se ices such as ca bon seques a ion, wa e pu i ica ion,
and biodi e si y suppo . I was highligh ed ha while he model accoun s o mul iple
se ices h ough me a- eg ession echniques, local-scale s udies emain necessa y o
mo e g anula e alua ions. Fu he discussion explo ed he challenges o implemen ing
na u e-based solu ions, pa icula ly he need o a s uc u ed inancial a gumen o
a ac in es men . S akeholde s om inancial ins i u ions, hink anks, and policy bodies
s essed ha inco po a ing cos -bene i analyses, long- e m isk mi iga ion da a, and
e u n-on-in es men amewo ks would enhance he case o NbS. The impo ance o
local s akeholde engagemen was also emphasized, wi h ecommenda ions o in eg a e
landscape app oaches and ensu e alignmen wi h egula o y and go e nance
s uc u es.
P ojec Takeaways
The discussion ea i med he need o economic alua ion ools o suppo decision-
making on na u e-based solu ions. While global models like DIVA p o ide a b oad policy-
le el pe spec i e, local speci ici y emains c i ical o success ul implemen a ion. The e is
s ong demand o mo e e ined cos -bene i analysis, including he p o i abili y o NbS, o
imp o e in es men a ac i eness. Addi ionally, he con e sa ion unde sco ed he need
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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A endees
Table 6. Wo k Package 7 Wo kshop A endees
O ganisa ion
Numbe o A endees
Na ional Technical Uni e si y o A hens
2
Uni e si y o Salzbu g
1
Uni e si y o Go henbu g
1
Tampe e Uni e si y o Applied Sciences
1
Uni e si y o Namu
3
Eu o-Medi e anean Cen e on Clima e
Change
1
Ins i u Ca holique d'A s e Mé ie s
3
Eu opean Commission
1
Leiden Uni e si y
1
Uni e si y o Pi aeus Resea ch Cen e (UPRC)
2
Discussion
The wo kshop enabled collec ing s akeholde eedback eeding in o he Whi e Book being
de eloped by Uni e si y o Deus o aiming o suppo he in eg a ion o sus ainabili y
compe encies in o uni e si y cu icula, pa icula ly o u u e policy make s in he a eas o
clima e change and biodi e si y. The Whi e Book ocuses on a ious compe ences ela ed
o sus ainabili y, biodi e si y, and clima e policies. The Deus o Uni e si y included se e al
in e ac i e in-wo kshop su eys o which pa icipan s we e in i ed o con ibu e insigh s
and ecommenda ions, ha will eed in o he s uc u e and con en o he Whi e Book.
The wo kshop cen ed a ound h ee key hemes:
1. Iden i ying Co e Compe encies – Pa icipan s we e asked o ank 15 sus ainabili y-
ela ed compe encies in e ms o impo ance. The mos highly anked we e c i ical
hinking, sys ems hinking, and collabo a ion/collec i e ac ion. Some dispa i ies
eme ged in he anking o compe encies ela ed o inancial li e acy and policy
ad ice, wi h pa icipan s highligh ing ha compe encies a e in e connec ed
a he han s ic ly hie a chical.
2. Ins i u ionaliza ion o Sus ainabili y in Highe Educa ion – The discussion explo ed
he bes p ac ices o embedding sus ainabili y in o uni e si y s uc u es. Key
p io i ies included cu icula planning, eache aining, pa icipa o y
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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me hodologies, and go e nance e o ms. The need o sys emic in eg a ion o
sus ainabili y ac oss disciplines a he han ea ing i as an "add-on" was
emphasized.
3. Ac i e Lea ning Me hodologies – Va ious s uden -cen ed lea ning app oaches
we e examined, including p oblem-based lea ning, challenge-based lea ning,
and expe ien ial lea ning. Pa icipan s s essed he need o p ac ical applica ion,
emphasizing he impo ance o demons a ing sus ainabili y in ac ion a he han
ea ing i as a heo e ical subjec . Se e al pa icipan s sha ed expe iences om
hei ins i u ions, highligh ing ba ie s such as ime cons ain s and acul y
esis ance.
P ojec Takeaways
E ec i e in eg a ion o sus ainabili y compe encies in uni e si y cu icula equi es a
sys emic app oach a he han s andalone cou ses, ensu ing ele ance ac oss
disciplines. Balancing heo y wi h ac ion is essen ial, emphasizing hands-on lea ning,
c i ical e lec ion, and eal-wo ld applica ions. Ins i u ional commi men is key, wi h
go e nance s uc u es, acc edi a ion s anda ds, and eaching me hodologies aligned o
suppo sus ainabili y educa ion. Teache aining and mo i a ion mus go beyond
con en knowledge and include e ec i e pedagogy o sus ainabili y li e acy. Addi ionally,
s uden in ol emen is c ucial, wi h uni e si ies os e ing pee -d i en ini ia i es and
communi y engagemen o enhance impac . The Whi e Book will inco po a e s akeholde
eedback ela ed o policy ecommenda ions, ins i u ional s a egies, and case s udies in
o de o guide uni e si ies in embedding sus ainabili y in o cu icula e ec i ely.
3. Nex S eps o
S akeholde Engagemen
Building on he insigh s ga he ed om he a ge ed wo kshops, he nex phase o he
s akeholde engagemen aspec s o DECIPHER will ocus on enhancing s akeholde
pa icipa ion h ough he S akeholde Engagemen Tool (T1.3) and de eloping a guidance
documen o me hodologically imp o ed policymaking (T1.4). The ou comes o he
a ge ed wo kshops ha e highligh ed he need o such accessible, anspa en , and
da a-d i en app oaches o engage policymake s and he wide public in clima e and
en i onmen al decision-making.
Unde Task 1.3, he de elopmen o he s akeholde engagemen ool will con inue,
ensu ing i e ec i ely suppo s policy assessmen and public engagemen . The ool will
p o ide an in e ac i e pla o m o s akeholde s o engage wi h policy assessmen by
D1.2 Se ies o Ta ge ed Wo kshops
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exp essing hei p io i ies and pe spec i es on di e en policy dimensions. I will also o e
isual ep esen a ions o illus a e he b oade socio-economic impac s o clima e and
en i onmen al policies, making complex in o ma ion mo e accessible and easie o
in e p e . The comple ed ool will be deli e ed as D1.3 “S akeholde engagemen ool”.
Building on Task 1.3, Task 1.4 will de elop guidelines o me hodologically imp o ed and
anspa en public policy design and e alua ion. This documen will p o ide policymake s
wi h p ac ical s eps o engage s akeholde s e ec i ely and in eg a e economic me hods
in o decision-making. The guidelines will be in o med by insigh s om p e ious asks,
ensu ing a cohe en and use - iendly manual o policymake s wo king on clima e and
en i onmen al policies. The inal ou pu will be compiled in D1.4 “Guidelines o imp o ed
decision-making”. The guidelines will be u he publicly dissemina ed h ough a policy
b ie , suppo ing he p ojec 's b oade objec i e o os e ing anspa en and well-
in o med policy p ocesses.
