Citizen Engagement and a Digital Currency Power the Green Transition in Viladecans

Viladecans, a city in Catalonia, Spain, with around 67,000 inhabitants, is embarking on an ambitious climate transition journey with its citywide "Viladecans Climate Pact" that engages citizens, businesses and organisations in reaching climate goals. 

More specifically, Viladecans is committed to achieving climate neutrality by 2030 and aims to be carbon-negative by 2050. To do so, the city plans to drastically reduce its greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon capture by expanding green infrastructure. Such initiatives include planting 30,000 trees by 2030 and introducing a Low Emission Zone in 2024. 

Vilawatt: A Digital Currency to Support Viladecan's Economy and Sustainability 

Another key element of Viladecans' plans is the Vilawatt currency, a local digital currency that encourages sustainable spending and supports the local economy and businesses. The currency maintains a 1:1 value with the Euro and incentivises communities to participate in pursuing the city's climate goals. 

Key achievements of the Vilawatter currency include supporting the renovation of 51 residential buildings and 3 commercial spaces to improve energy efficiency. By late 2024, around 4,800 families and 395 businesses used the currency, resulting in an estimated €1,500,000 in transactions. 

Important factors that led to the implementation of Vilawatt were policy alignment with EU and local commitments, the involvement of communities and businesses, public engagement about the currency to spread support, economic benefits of the currency, and integration of the currency with broader climate goals. 

However, the project also encountered barriers that challenged implementation, such as legal and regulatory barriers, negative impacts of the pandemic, and initial challenges to boost participation and sustain local business involvement. 

Key Lessons from the Viladecans Story

The success of the Vilawatt programme resulted in key lessons for sustainable urban programmes. Maintaining community engagement proved to be an important factor in Vilawatt's success, and having a strong governance model contributed to its impact. 

Multiple aspects of the Vildecans Climate Pact initiative have the potential to be upscaled in replicated elsewhere to further urban sustainability. Such aspects include the public-private-citizen approach taken, energy education and awareness, the energy-efficient retrofitting programme, and the localised energy currency of Vilawatt. 

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Source: NetZeroCities