Leon, Spain – 2isecap

The City of León: A Historical and Cultural Hub Driving Sustainability

León, one of the major provincial capitals in Castilla y León, Spain, is steeped in rich history and cultural significance. A two-thousand-year-old city founded by the Romans, León is located at the crossroads of several important historical routes: the ancient Roman Ruta de la Plata, the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage path, and the medieval Mesta cattle-trading route. This positioning has shaped León into a city of diverse cultural and architectural heritage, reflected in its many historical landmarks and unique styles.

With a population of approximately 125,000 residents, León is a medium-sized city that has experienced significant urban and suburban growth throughout the 20th century. Its broader metropolitan area includes almost 200,000 inhabitants, requiring the local government to provide comprehensive services to meet the community’s needs.

León’s historical identity now serves as a foundation for its forward-thinking sustainability efforts, such as its Climate and Sustainable Energy Campaign. These initiatives integrate its cultural heritage with modern energy and climate solutions, making León a model for blending tradition with progress.

2isecap activities

Concerning the current strategic planning the city has:

A city-wide strategy “León XXI21”, sustainable and integrated Urban development strategy
EDUSI strategy – sustainable and integrated Urban development strategy-
Strategic Plan of Leon 2018 – 2027
Global Covenant of Mayors for climate & energy, which implies several commitments, for instance that a SECAP and a baseline inventory of emissions will be developed

It is expected that 2ISECAP will facilitate the intermediation work carried out by the municipality connecting society with regional, national and EU policies on urban energy planning. In addition, it is expected that the project will act as acceleration lever for energy policies launched by local administration.

The project is likely to involve the incorporation of a tool for Leon that will help to coordinate existing individual initiatives inside energy planning city framework or existing LECs, and to incorporate them into the implementation process of SECAP and its objectives.

Moreover, Leon looks for acquiring knowledge and skills from other cities’ work and experience on LECs, LLs and institutional measure and tools. Leon aims to collaborate in the development of an innovative and more effective proven urban energy planning and implementation methodology.

Living LAB FACILITATOR

2ISECAP: Strengthening Sustainable and Integrated Planning in Castilla y León

The 2ISECAP project builds on the foundation laid by the INTENSSS-PA project, advancing sustainable and integrated planning processes in Castilla y León. This initiative serves as a momentum to formalize a replicable framework for developing Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAPs) across municipalities in the region, ensuring a continued commitment to energy transition and sustainable development.

As with the INTENSSS-PA project, the process is facilitated by the regional government of Castilla y León—the largest of Spain’s 17 autonomous regions, spanning 94,222 km² and home to 2.4 million residents. As an autonomous government within Spain’s constitutional framework, it holds comprehensive authority over regional planning, housing policies, and the oversight of local public bodies, including urban planning and local development.

In recent years, Castilla y León has prioritized renewable energy development and energy efficiency improvements through initiatives led by its regional energy agency. Concurrently, the regional government has focused on urban regeneration and the sustainable development of urban areas. It actively supports local authorities in defining actionable policies and plans that align with broader sustainability goals, integrating energy efficiency and renewable energy advancements with spatial planning and urban development strategies.

Website of Léon

The website explains Léon's engagement in the area of climate including its process of elaborating an energy and climate strategy, the participatory process used, the living lab and 2ISECAP (In Spanish).

News and EVENTS

Leon Living Lab results

9. December 2024

Established in 2022, the León Living Lab serves as a participatory platform to tackle energy and climate challenges within the city. Hosted by the City Council of León and supported by ILRUV, the initiative fosters collaboration among public entities, private organizations, research institutions, and citizens. It enhances the implementation of León’s Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP) by promoting sustainable energy practices, circular economy concepts, and urban regeneration strategies.

León City Council Launches Climate and Sustainable Energy Campaign

18. November 2024

The campaign, running from 18 to 29 November, promotes León’s Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan (SECAP). Activities include a presentation of the 2ISECAP Project and a guided tour of the Renewable Energy Demonstration Centre, emphasizing the vital role of renewable energy in addressing societal challenges. A video showcasing León’s efforts in mobility, buildings, green spaces, and urban services will be shared on social media to further raise awareness.

Fourth meeting of Leon Living Lab

8. December 2023

The fourth meeting of León’s Local Living Lab (LLLL) on November 21, 2023, involved 35 participants from 20 entities across administration, academia, business/companies, and citizenship. The primary goal was to gain a comprehensive understanding of ongoing developments in León. Post-pandemic, Next Generation funds have spurred numerous projects, leading to a need for additional time in the third LLL to discuss these initiatives, particularly in energy transition. The fourth Living Lab aimed to conclude pending discussions from the previous session with a continued emphasis on understanding the diverse projects and actions in progress. Two round tables focusing on mobility and energy-city further facilitated interactive discussions, questioning, synergies, and debates, ensuring a dynamic and collaborative environment within the Lab.

Third meeting of Leon Living Lab

5. September 2023

The third meeting of the Local Living Lab of León (LLLL) was held on 27 July 2023. The total number of participants was 26 people, representing 15 different entities from the four sectors of the quadruple helix model: administration, academia, business/companies and citizenship.
The intention of this third Living Lab was to compile everything that is happening now in the city of León since, after the pandemic and thanks to the Next Generation funds, many projects are being implemented and launched. To this end, two round tables were held, where each entity explained what projects are being carried out or are about to be implemented, what actions related to the energy transition are already a reality. The format of the round tables, one on mobility and the other on energy and the city, allowed for question-and-answer sessions and small debates to clarify the points of conflict and existing problems, as well as the benefits and changes that are taking place.

Second meeting of Leon Living Lab

4. January 2023

The second meeting of the Leon Living Lab (LLL) about energy was held on December 2, 2022. This LLL is the meeting space for the stakeholders involved in the energy transition of the city of León, as well as in an efficient and effective execution of its SECAP. On this occasion, 10 entities belonging to the four sectors of the quadruple helix model participated. Following the “Living Lab Integrative Process” and the principles of Design Thinking, the attendees worked on the definition of existing problems, the context and the users, as well as the needs and potentialities related to the energy within the city of León.