VILNIUS TECH is a partner in the EU-funded project BALCA – Building Capacity for Baltic Climate Action, implemented within the South Baltic region. The project aims to strengthen the capacity of local actors to cooperate on climate action, both within local communities and across borders, with a strong focus on reducing emissions related to transport and consumption.

Coordinated by Alvesta Municipality (Sweden), the BALCA consortium brings together municipalities, universities and civil society organisations from Sweden, Poland and Lithuania. Project partners include Vilnius Gediminas Technical University (VILNIUS TECH), Tczew Municipality, Linnaeus University, Gryfino Municipality, Administration of Tauragė District Municipality, and Jedwabno Municipality.

BALCA focuses on mutual learning and knowledge exchange to better engage and motivate citizens to reduce their climate footprint. While awareness of climate issues is increasing, many people still struggle to turn knowledge into concrete action. The project addresses this gap by involving citizens directly in decision-making processes and empowering them to take practical, locally relevant climate action.

A key element of BALCA is the creation of citizen-led action groups, bringing together working-age residents who develop and implement local solutions that promote sustainable behaviour. Through this participatory and cross-border approach, the project contributes to the objectives of the European Green Deal and the EU Strategy for the Baltic Sea Region (EUSBSR).

Within the project, VILNIUS TECH contributes academic expertise and research-based insights to support knowledge exchange, citizen engagement methodologies and the development of effective approaches to climate action at the local level. The university plays an active role in strengthening cooperation between municipalities, researchers and communities across the Baltic region.

The project runs from 1 September 2025 to 28 February 2027 and is supported by the Interreg South Baltic Programme 2021–2027, with a total EU co-financing of €160,000 from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).