We need to transform our urban consumption patterns

The Department of Environmental Economics and Sustainability at BME hosted a professional conference entitled Urban Lifestyles Within 1.5 Degrees, addressing the most pressing issues of urban sustainability. The event aimed to share the knowledge accumulated during the Interreg CE NiCE and the EU 1.5-Degree Lifestyles projects, highlighting that achieving global climate goals is inconceivable without a radical transformation of urban consumption patterns.

The conference was opened by Attila Buzási, Head of Departmen, Béla Janky, Vice-Dean at the Faculty of Economic and Social Sciences, and Béla Hegyesi, Interreg CE National Contact Point, who all emphasized the role of international cooperation in developing local solutions.

The first lecture was delivered by Gabriella Kiss (Corvinus University of Budapest), who presented the experiences of the "Degrowth Doughnut" model’s participatory process in Budapest. Her presentation shed light on the fact that

overcoming the contradiction between economic growth and environmental sustainability requires new, community-based approaches. 

She was followed by Edina Vadovics (GreenDependent Institute), who detailed the quantified results of the EU 1.5-Degree Lifestyles project, making it clear how much individual and systemic emission reduction is necessary to meet the Paris Agreement targets.

Researchers from BME focused on the local level: associate professor Noémi Csigéné Nagypál and PhD student Zsófia Torma demonstrated the possibilities of a circular lifestyle through a specific district-level example, while assistant professor Mariann Szabó and research assistant Dorottya Vincze summarized the lessons of the NiCE project, posing the question: is it even possible to live truly sustainably in a Hungarian city today?

In the afternoon, the conference continued in four working groups, shifting the focus to interactive knowledge sharing. In the municipal and urban development section, led by assistant professor Gábor Ballabás and Mariann Szabó, decision-makers and experts analysed the circular management of green spaces, composting programs, and the success of Repair Cafe initiatives. They concluded that 

while public awareness-raising has begun, financing and the reduction of single-use products remain serious challenges for municipalities.

In the business group, moderated by Noémi Csigéné Nagypál and Zsófia Torma, representatives from innovative companies such as Take Easy Energy and CAM Consulting held discussions. The conversation focused on energy efficiency, green marketing, and the lack of legal regulation for energy communities, highlighting the importance of intergenerational knowledge transfer in awareness-shifting.

Difficulties due to lack of trust

Representatives of the policy and civil sphere, led by Edina Vadovics and Kristóf Vadovics (GreenDependent Institute), identified barriers to systemic change. The group concluded that transition is extremely difficult within a consumption-oriented capitalist model, especially due to low social trust and a lack of political commitment. They emphasized that existing good practices should be elevated from their "niche" status into the mainstream through more powerful communication.

Finally, in the university students' section led by Attila Buzási and Dorottya Vincze, participants discussed the dilemmas of food consumption, housing, and mobility. They highlighted the inequalities between urban and rural areas and the power of social media to shape opinions, which could be crucial for making sustainable lifestyles a trend.

Rector’s Office, Communications Directorate