This project aims to open up access for citizens to protect their future by becoming involved in climate policy advocacy. EU legislation on climate is so technical that it virtually limits access to participation to most EU citizens. Decisions made since the follow up of the Paris Agreement are not in line with the long-term goals and interests of keeping global temperate below 2 degrees increase. Citizens are often unaware of the future risks they are faced with. My idea seeks to address this.

Germany (Ruhr area) + Central East European states (Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Latvia) and Belgium.

The challenges of democracy today are tightly linked to the challenge of managing global challenges at a local level. Our project enables citizens to become involved in climate policy advocacy and in paving the way to a just transition out of the fossil fuel economy.

Citizens will have the tools to engage in climate change advocacy, should they chose to do so. They will have the resources (online and possibly in person) to see through the cracks of non-transparent governance structures or through interest driven lobbying at the local level.

We will create a manual to explain EU climate policy at the local level, including role-playing methods inspired from theatre. We will also create explanatory online tools, as to enable simplified versions of complex topics to filter through to citizens.

This idea is important to me because the future of our planet should not be decided behind closed doors and especially not to the detriment of the wider population. While the phenomenon is global, action can only be taken locally and therefore the importance of local communities grows.

Local citizens from affected areas, such as students, workers, local decision makers.

How to introduce long-term perspectives in an environment shaped by short-term government and job related concerns.