A Multidisciplinary approach to plan ECOsystem SErvices for cities in Transition

ECO-SET: A Multidisciplinary approach to plan ECOsystem SErvices for cities in Transition is a research project of Relevant National Interest (PRIN) funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU under the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NRRP). The project aims to develop a data-driven urban planning approach (based on ICT and AI technology) to exploit ecosystem services (ESs) for the design of urban transformations in response to the rising demand for cities’ transition toward protecting nature and reversing the degradation of biodiversity. ECO-SET will put forward an interdisciplinary approach to address the complexity of Urban ES management through data-driven urban planning. Such complexity opens new research development trajectories for the future transition of cities towards resilience and sustainability. 

To tackle climate change, a new growth model is needed, one based on the green, digital, and just transition promoted by the European Union. The Green Deal aims to achieve the goals of the 2030 Agenda through actions focused on climate, energy, circular economy, and infrastructure. The NextGenerationEU program, implemented through Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan, allocates around 40% of resources to the green transition and 27% to the digital transition, with a strong focus on urban regeneration. Cities become key players in the ecological transformation through initiatives related to green districts, energy efficiency, and circular waste management. The INCA system allows for the accounting of ecosystem services to support environmental policies and strengthen urban-rural connections. Operational guidelines promote resilient urban planning by integrating green and blue infrastructure and enhancing ecosystem services. This framework aligns with the Horizon Europe goals of climate-neutral cities and climate change adaptation by 2030. 

Project website

The ECO-SET workshop explores how data-driven models and geospatial technologies can inform urban ecosystem planning. Grounded in the ECO-SET research project funded under PRIN PNRR, it aims to bridge Human-Computer Interaction (HCI), environmental planning, and civic engagement using spatial tools like QGIS, Urban Atlas data, and CO₂ prediction models.

The structure of the workshop is as follows:

•  An introductory session by the organizers to present the main topics and objectives

•  Individual presentations by contributors

•  Interactive Q&A sessions after each presentation

•  Open discussion to encourage feedback, exchange of ideas, and collaborative insights

Authors are invited to submit articles that fall under topics such as, but not limited to: 

• Participatory and interactive tools for ecological scenario planning and green infrastructure co-design

• HCI methodologies to engage citizens and stakeholders in environmental decision-making using digital platforms and spatial simulations

• AI-assisted spatial analysis for identifying ecological patterns and optimizing and use at multiple scales

• Data storytelling and visualization techniques to support ecological literacy and urban policy design

• Ethical and governance considerations in the use of AI for spatial planning

• Co-creation and knowledge transfer between human experts (e.g., urban planners, ecologists) and AI-driven systems in sustainability initiatives

• Case studies on climate-resilient cities, showcasing how computational models, GIS, and participatory design can converge to foster actionable change

• Behavioral and perceptual dimensions of ecological data interaction, including how users interpret and respond to spatial environmental information

We invite and welcome two distinct types of contributions for the ECO-SET workshop:

•  Full Papers: minimum of 10 standard pages*, plus an appropriate number of references

•  Short Papers: between 5 and 9 standard pages*

*one standard page corresponds to 2,500 characters.

All submissions will undergo a single-blind peer review. Each contribution will be evaluated by two reviewers from the Program Committee, based on its relevance to the workshop topics and overall scientific quality.

Contributions to the ECO-SET workshop must be submitted via the EasyChair platform. All submissions should follow the official CEUR template.

Submission website: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=ecoset2025

Note that at least one author of each accepted paper is required to register, attend, and present their work at the workshop.