Building a Digital Ecosystem for Data-Driven Governance in Cluj-Napoca

Cities are increasingly relying on data to design policies, monitor progress and improve public services. In Cluj-Napoca, Romania, data already plays an important role in areas such as sustainable mobility, energy efficiency, environmental monitoring and climate action.

The DS2 project offers an opportunity to strengthen the local digital ecosystem by exploring the concept of data spaces and by testing new approaches for secure and trusted data sharing. Through the DS2 project, Cluj-Napoca is working together with European partners to better understand how data spaces can support innovation and improve decision-making processes. The project also supports knowledge exchange with European partners facing similar challenges.

For Cluj-Napoca, DS2 is not only about technology. It is also about building stronger collaboration among municipal departments, research institutions and other local stakeholders, creating the foundations for more integrated and data-driven urban governance.

Data spaces have the potential to improve cooperation between public authorities, academia, businesses and citizens. By participating in DS2, Cluj-Napoca seeks to better understand how urban data can support evidence-based policymaking and accelerate the city's transition towards climate neutrality, while strengthening its capacity to use data more effectively.