ECOLISE, the European Network for Community-Led Initiatives on Climate Change and Sustainability, is an international non-profit association headquartered in Brussels, Belgium. Established in 2014, ECOLISE brings together a diverse alliance of networks and organizations focused on empowering and connecting grassroots groups working for sustainability and climate action across Europe.
The organization acts primarily as a platform for collaboration among its members, which include networks of ecovillages, transition initiatives, and permaculture organizations. Its current membership encompasses over 40 member networks and organizations, collectively reaching thousands of community-led initiatives across Europe. ECOLISE functions by advocating at the European level for the recognition and support of local sustainability initiatives, fostering knowledge exchange, and facilitating collaborative projects.
One of ECOLISE’s ongoing projects is the European Day of Sustainable Communities, organized annually since 2017. This initiative showcases a wide array of local actions, with hundreds of community-led events promoted each year. ECOLISE is also active in EU-funded research and innovation projects, such as the compilation of the European Community-Led Initiatives Directory, which maps grassroots sustainability activities.
Rather than implementing projects directly, ECOLISE concentrates on building capacity within its member organizations, developing policy recommendations, producing research publications, and co-organizing events. As a result, it has positioned itself as a key advocate and knowledge broker for community-driven transitions to sustainability within European policy and civil society spheres.