S2E3 - How Could We? Tackle soil pollution through nature-based solutions

Welcome to the final episode of Season 2 of How Could We?, a podcast by EIT Climate-KIC where we explore how to build a beautiful, just and climate-resilient future.

This season, we’re exploring how architecture, design, innovation, science, and art can help build sustainable solutions to the climate emergency. We talk to people across Europe who work on the New European Bauhaus, a creative and interdisciplinary initiative that encourages us to imagine and build together a sustainable and inclusive future. 

In this episode, we talk to Mathilde Rubinstein, Deputy Director of La Citadelle de Marseille. 

Since December 2021, her association is managing the Fort d’Entrecasteaux, a historical monument that used to be owned by the military. Their initial goal was to use this land in the city center to create an urban garden and open it to all citizens. However, a simple soil analysis found a substantial amount of pollution left over from military use as well as citizen use (think fireworks!).  

Their project suddenly took a completely different turn - how could they communicate about this pollution without alarming the neighbourhood? And would they still be able to open the space to the public? 

Through their project REMEDSPACE, Mathilde and her colleagues created workshops and discussions with a variety of stakeholders, from local governments to researchers and citizens, to talk about the situation and co-create the future of the space together. They even invited a ceramic artist, Louise Nicollon des Abbayes, who led workshops answering questions like: How can we capture the memory of a site, how can we represent the landscape, what is heritage? 

REMEDSPACE is one of the fourteen projects that were selected as part of the EIT Community New European Bauhaus initiative. 

This episode was presented by Anne-Sophie Garrigou and produced by Bárbara Mendes-Jorge. 

Check out our other episodes in this New Bauhaus series.

If you’re interested in Sustainable Forestry and Land Use, check out Season 1. 

EIT Climate-KIC⁠ is Europe’s leading climate innovation initiative, aiming to accelerate the transition to a zero-carbon, climate-resilient society by supporting innovative solutions helping society mitigate and adapt to climate change. 

We want to hear from you! Share what inspires you and what you’re doing in your community to enact change by sending us an email to media@climate-kic.org. 

Visit our website – www.climate-kic.org