On June 5, Katherine Mahoney presented the ENTRACK project at the regional session in Faro, where information and advice on applying for EU LIFE project funding were shared. Katherine’s presentation was entitled "Presentation of the ENTRACK project: Reflections on the Approval of the Proposal, Summary of Activities, Methods, and Current Results," and reflected on the main factors leading to the project’s approval. Specifically, from the ENTRACK team’s perspective, the project’s focus on rural areas, the inclusion of the social dimension in energy and climate policies, and a high level of stakeholder involvement are all key factors of the project’s success.
Katherine also outlined key project activities, including a detailed policy taxonomy exercise, analysis of stakeholder engagement pathways, ethnographic interviews, auto-evaluation of policymakers, and the establishment of the Portuguese ENTRACK Portuguese Municipality-Region Partnership and Community of Practice. Katherine highlighted that the methods applied in the project evolved from a theoretical, desk-based approach to a series of participatory activities. A synopsis of the main results to date was provided, highlighting challenges around the main obstacles, necessary incentives, and required changes to achieve a socially just energy transition in the ENTRACK case studies.

The presentation concluded by reflecting that the project’s focus on participatory activities in rural areas (which are often overlooked in transition processes) was an important contributor to the project's approval. Highlighting the project’s success factors and summarising key project results was informative for the session participants, identifying important areas of focus for future LIFE proposals.