The Challenge
Riga, a city of almost 600,000 residents and one of Europe's most important cultural heritage centres, is working towards becoming the first climate-neutral city in the Baltic region. The city has already established ambitious climate and sustainability goals through its Climate Action Plan, Sustainable Development Strategy, Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Plan, and Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan.
At the same time, Riga faces growing climate-related challenges, including rising temperatures, urban heat stress, and air pollution. Many historic areas and cultural heritage sites are particularly vulnerable, while surrounding public spaces often have untapped potential to become greener, more comfortable, and more inclusive. Balancing heritage preservation with climate adaptation and urban regeneration is therefore a key challenge for the city.
What GENeCITY will do
GENeCITY will help Riga explore how urban greening can enhance cultural heritage sites while improving environmental quality and citizen wellbeing. The pilot will focus on transforming heritage-adjacent spaces, such as church courtyards, public squares, and monument surroundings, into greener and more attractive community spaces.
To support this process, GENeCITY will develop a Local Digital Twin of Riga that combines data from the existing 3D GEO RIGA platform with environmental monitoring information, historical datasets, and urban information. The Digital Twin will integrate air quality measurements, temperature and humidity observations, detailed 3D city models, and other spatial data to create a comprehensive picture of the city's environmental and cultural assets.
Citizen participation will play a central role in the pilot. Through open calls, residents, local businesses, cultural organisations, and public authorities will contribute to environmental monitoring and the co-design of urban greening interventions. A dedicated mobile application will gather citizens' perceptions of comfort, accessibility, and usability in heritage spaces, providing valuable insights into how these areas are experienced today.
Using GENeCITY's planning tools, stakeholders will be able to explore and compare different greening scenarios and assess their potential impact on heat reduction, air quality, public space quality, and cultural heritage preservation. Interactive visualisations and collaborative workshops will support informed decision-making and help define long-term goals for climate adaptation and urban regeneration.
Expected Results
The Riga pilot will demonstrate how cultural heritage and climate action can reinforce one another through data-driven and participatory urban planning. The project aims to actively engage citizens, small and medium-sized enterprises, and policymakers and municipal staff in shaping future interventions.
The pilot will deliver an enhanced environmental monitoring network, including air quality, temperature, and humidity sensors, as well as a fully integrated Local Digital Twin built on Riga's existing digital infrastructure. These tools will help the city evaluate and prioritise greening measures that improve thermal comfort, reduce air pollution, and strengthen the attractiveness of public spaces around heritage sites.
The knowledge and solutions developed in Riga will also be shared with the replicator cities of Jurmala and Sigulda, supporting wider adoption of climate adaptation and heritage-led regeneration approaches across the region. Through GENeCITY, Riga will showcase how historic cities can use digital innovation, citizen participation, and urban greening to create more resilient, liveable, and inclusive urban environments.
Partners
