Mapping the city policy and data context for GD

2023, April 28. Why is it important to map the policy and data context in the USAGE pilot cities?

Mapping and understanding the policy and data context in the USAGE pilot cities of Ferrara, Graz, Leuven and Zaragoza forms the backbone for the design of the data spaces. Over 45 stakeholders were interviewed between January and April 2023 to capture the intricacies of each setting. Why is this so important as a basis for the project?

Urban Data spaces for the Green Deal cannot and should not be built without taking into account the hard work  already undertaken by the different city departments involved in climate policies and data policies. Understanding the policy and data context in the USAGE pilot cities forms the backbone for the design of the data spaces. Not only is it important to know what is and isn't desirable from a policy perspective and what is and isn't feasible from a technical perspective, but also what the different stakeholders need to fulfil their respective roles in the data value chain. 

These roles vary from generating relevant data to sharing, processing, analysing and visualising it, and finally deriving policy-relevant insights from the produced information. Stakeholders from the city administration, businesses, civil society, academia and citizenry may take on different roles to support the creation of data-driven value to address climate challenges in a city. 

Understanding stakeholder needs and connecting with them is an essential part of the USAGE journey. In-depth interviews conducted with over 45 stakeholders across the four pilot cities of Ferrara, Graz, Leuven and Zaragoza allow USAGE to map the policy and data context from different perspectives, ranging from sector-specific policies on air quality and sustainability to cross-cutting municipal strategies un climate change mitigation and from open data policies to IT strategies. 

In the coming weeks, the USAGE team will put together these different pieces of the urban green data space puzzle ánd identify the missing ones. Stay tuned on the different project channels to capture the first findings.