Climate education in times of multiple crises
20th of November 2024
Climate education in times of multiple crises: Symposium on November 7, 2024 highlights new challenges and potential solutions
The numerous challenges of our time can sometimes seem overwhelming. Students in particular are at risk of feeling powerless in the face of multiple crises. What schools can do to counteract this and what new approaches and positive role models exist was discussed at the symposium “Climate education in times of multiple crises,” which took place on November 7, 2024, in Berlin-Charlottenburg.
As a place of learning and training for a bright future, schools have a responsibility to address the crises facing our world and their impact on young people. Climate change in particular can seem overwhelming and unsolvable to young people. What does this mean for teaching and learning content in schools? What are the biggest obstacles to effective climate education, and how can we overcome them?
These and other topics were presented and discussed by inspiring guests at the 26th Climate Protection in Schools Conference, “Climate Education in Times of Multiple Crises.” Teachers and other climate education activists and multipliers from Berlin were invited to participate. After three keynote speeches, various practical workshops provided the tools for concrete changes in everyday school life. There was also plenty of time for networking.
Transformative education just an ‘add on’?
The first keynote speech was given by Dr. Antje Brock from the Futur Institute at the Free University of Berlin. Under the title “Transformative education for sustainability: So far only an ‘add-on’ in the education system? How can effective empowerment succeed?” she presented the current state of research based on study results and meta-analyses. Young people in particular sometimes no longer have confidence in problem solving; they experience a discrepancy between perceived (collective) self-efficacy and the perceived magnitude of sustainability problems. This can lead to excessive demands, repression, wishful thinking and fatalism. New approaches are needed in education for sustainable development (ESD) so that teachers and learners see themselves as better able to make positive changes. Shifting from footprint to handprint is a good approach to actively changing something for many people.
Is hiking now legal?
“Love of nature and hatred of people: right-wing narratives and misanthropy in environmental education” was the topic of the second keynote speech. Robin Bell from the specialist department for radicalization prevention and commitment to nature conservation (FARN) of the Friends of Nature Germany gave examples of the specialist department’s work. On closer inspection, a survival training course that actually seems harmless turns out to be an event with a clear connection to the neo-Nazi prepper scene. Nature and environmental protection are sometimes deliberately appropriated for “homeland protection and people’s protection”. This clearly showed elements of a right-wing extremist world view and historical continuities up to the “blood and soil” ideology. Experiential and environmental education continued colonial continuities that stretch back to the German Empire. (Outdoor) educational offerings that seem interesting at first glance should therefore always be checked for the actual organizers and their motivation. Publications and educational offerings from the specialist department can be found at www.nf-farn.de .
The Futur3 class of the Goethe-Gymnasium Lichterfelde
Berlin’s first climate class was presented in the third keynote speech “Climate protection in everyday school life – experiences of an active environmental school” by teachers Sven Kozelnik and Stephan Noth. The so-called Futur3 classes receive interdisciplinary lessons, enter into cooperation with extracurricular learning locations and carry out many city, neighborhood and school projects that are developed together with the students. For the third time, a class in the beginner year was set up as a climate class, for which there were again more interested students than places. At the beginning, many challenges had to be overcome at the institutional and personnel level, although the Goethe-Gymnasium has been active as an environmental school and with climate working groups for many years. Further information is available on the school website: https://goethe-gymnasium-lichterfelde.de/pluspunkte/futur3 .
In the second part of the conference, several practical workshops took place:
- How can climate protection be achieved despite a lack of time and resources in everyday school life (UfU)?
- How can environmentally friendly mobility be successfully implemented for the entire school (BUND)?
- Are hiking and carving now right-wing – what helps against right-wing narratives in nature and environmental education (FARN)?
- Do cultural education and Schools of Sustainability fit together (HKW, UdK)?
- Climate education and urban infrastructure – what new teaching materials are available (KlimaMacher.berlin)?
- How does practical energy saving work in schools – methods, possibilities, motivation (UfU)?
Our thanks go to the speakers of the keynote speeches and all the organizers of the practical workshops! With more than 80 participants, the demand from teachers in the field of environmental and climate education once again shows the great relevance of such a conference. We would also like to thank the Upper Secondary School for Automotive Technology for kindly making their school’s premises available for the conference.
The annual conference is part of the award-winning KlimaVisionen project and is organized by the UfU’s Competence Center for Climate-Neutral Schools on behalf of the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment. If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Florian Kliche (florian.kliche@ufu.de). The conference is recognized as an official training course by the state of Berlin .
Would you like to be informed as soon as the Climate Protection in Schools 2025 conference takes place? You can register in advance by clicking on the button below.
How can the cooperation of schools and non-school partners succeed?
21th. of Oktober 2024
Schools as key drivers of climate neutrality
With the challenges posed by climate change, the role of schools in shaping a sustainable future has never been more important. Schools create awareness for sustainable development and can implement relevant measures. They are important multipliers, educate future generations and are thus, driving forces in the transition to climate neutrality. This also means that schools themselves must transform into climate-neutral schools. An undertaking with which they should not be left alone.
“Vision 2045” – working together for a sustainable future
The Visions 2045 project emphasizes the importance of this transition and promotes a collective commitment of schools in this area through concrete measures: Twelve schools in Bulgaria, Poland and Slovenia are working together with their local communities to implement measures to save greenhouse gas emissions. To this end, the schools initially developed individual roadmaps to climate neutrality for their own schools in so-called vision workshops. Building on this, they are now looking for support to implement these plans.
If a school wants to become climate-neutral, cooperation is required. One example would be cooperation and support from non-school partners, such as local authorities, for the successful implementation of holistic sustainability measures. Another example would be cooperation with external partners, e.g. to make the school building energy and resource efficient or to provide clean drinking water. However, many schools find it difficult to establish collaborations that often are essential implementing measures. Especially because they often operate in their own ecosystem and address their actions and messages mainly to the school community. In the following, we describe approaches to initiating such collaborations for schools.
Starting in your own community
Even if schools may initially find it difficult to initiate partnerships with external stakeholders, the conditions for that are good. In our experience, external stakeholders are very open to joint initiatives with schools. However, they are not prepared to initiate these and approach schools on their own. Schools must therefore be proactive in the search for such partnerships and, ideally, organize face-to-face meetings in order to facilitate a fruitful relationship. A first place to start can be your own community. Municipalities are a very useful channel for schools to find partners, especially in smaller towns. Invitations for potential partnerships sent by the municipal administration e.g. lead to a higher response rate and more commitment.
Finding local players
When it comes to cooperation with companies, initiatives and organizations, local players should be found. These usually have strong ties to the location and are thus, interested in cooperating with the school. Neighborhood residents, parents and representatives of local authorities can also be asked for their expertise and possible support. The Visions 2045 project brought together numerous representatives of local schools, the city administration and local public companies, including organizations such as public transport companies and energy suppliers. The latter play a central role in ensuring that the schools’ sustainability efforts are supported with the necessary infrastructure and resources. To facilitate collaboration, schools are usually expected to have an initial plan or idea of what the partnership could look like. What do they want to achieve and what could the partner possibly contribute to. Creating and communicating a school vision on climate neutrality helps to have a basis for discussion and increases the likelihood of getting support. In addition, sharing best practice from other schools, regions or countries can show them ways forward and give ideas on how to interact with schools. For example, a Polish project school approached a DIY store with the idea of collecting rainwater for the school garden. The newly acquired partner not only sponsored rainwater tanks, but also provided volunteers to install them.
Paying attention to mutual benefits
At the same time, schools should ask themselves and research what the potential partner could gain from this. Due to the above-mentioned local ties of local players, they have an interest in corresponding image and PR activities. In some cases, external partners would like to introduce themselves to students in order to recruit future employees. It is advantageous for schools to identify the needs of their desired partners and then endeavor to make an appropriate offer. We also recommend that schools activate parents’ professional networks as a source of new contacts and possible collaboration. Former students can also be a powerful asset as they are often willing to support the school for idealistic purposes, especially in smaller towns.
A model for broader change
Schools can be effective agents of change, both through educating future generations and through their real efforts to reduce their environmental footprint. As part of the Visions 2045 project, each participating school has launched its own pilot actions to improve energy efficiency, reduce waste, promote sustainable mobility and much more. In addition, the initiative creates opportunities for students to engage with local industries and public services. Plans to organize educational visits to waste management facilities, water utilities, and energy providers, for example, help deepen students’ understanding of sustainability beyond the school grounds. Thanks to these initiatives, the school’s activities gain wider recognition in the city and have the chance to continue working with stakeholders to promote fostering school climate actions. Municipalities can integrate these sustainability efforts into the city’s broader climate neutrality strategy.
With a strong network of local partners, there is a real opportunity to extend the knowledge gained from these schools to the entire region. Our experience shows that a clear goal and plan, combined with an effort to engage partners, brings success and tangible results.
In early 2025, we will publish manuals for schools and municipalities with further insights and recommendations to make a transformation to climate neutrality work, step by step.
UfU-Projects are tackling environmental challenges of farmers in Kazakhstan
UfU-Projects are tackling environmental challenges of farmers in Kazakhstan
On 17th of July 2024, the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU) in Berlin was honoured to host a delegation from Kazakhstan, including Mr. Aslan Abdraimov, the Vice Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation, and Mrs. Aziza Dyussenova, the First Secretary at the Embassy of Kazakhstan in Germany. This visit was a significant step forward in working together on critical environmental challenges in Kazakhstan.
During the meeting, UfU representatives, including Dr. Michael Zschiesche, Sami Çeltikoğlu, and Dr. Arne Reck, provided a comprehensive overview of ongoing and planned projects in Kazakhstan and discussed environmental challenges that Kazakhstan is facing now and in the future. The discussions focused on the UfU-projects ZIVIKLI, Projekt4646 and CarbonIQ and their scientific findings. These projects are contributing uniquely to sustainable agricultural practices and climate change adaptation in Kazakhstan.
Why is UfU working in Kazakhstan?
Kazakhstan plays an important role in the global food supply chain. Agriculture is a critical element in Kazakhstan’s economic, social and environmental development, with over 79.3% of the country’s land area devoted to agricultural production – approximately 29,669,700 hectares of arable land (World Bank, 2021; Macrotrends, 2020). The agricultural production of Kazakhstan is producing gigantic exports of wheat and flour. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) predicts that by 2030 the combined wheat production of Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Russia will account for 25-30% of global wheat exports, up from 21% today. Kazakhstan’s role as a food supplier is especially important for the Middle East and North Africa and therefor important for their food supply.
Due to climate change, Kazakhstan’s agriculture is facing challenges such as drought or flooding and a change in the average annual temperature, which could jeopardise food production in the future, if Kazakhstan is unable to adapt its agriculture to the changing environmental conditions. At the same time, Kazakhstan’s farmers are looking for alternative ways to produce their products environmental friendly and with less impact for soil and nature as Kazakhstan like other countries has set a target to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels from over 80% to around 50% by 2050 (Karatayev et al. 2022). The country also aims to achieve carbon neutrality by 2060 (World Bank, 2023). As UfU has a wide experience in restauration of soil and soil protection, our aim is to support farmers in Kazakhstan tackle those challenges and to contribute to the security of the world’s food supply while securing an environmental friendly agriculture.
The Water Resources and Irrigation Ministry of Kazakhstan
The provision of water for agricultural industry is one of the most critical points if it comes to securing the food production. Kazakhstan faces significant challenges such as water scarcity for agriculture, frequent droughts, and occasional severe floods due to changing climate conditions. Therefore, a year ago Kazakhstan founded a new Ministry, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation. Unlike Germany, which does not have a dedicated ministry for water resources, the ministry plays a critical role in managing the country’s water resources and practices to cope with climate extremes. To support this, UfU provides strategic insights from its projects for a robust framework to implement sustainable agricultural practices. The Ministry is keen to use the data and strategies developed through these projects to inform national policies and implement practical solutions on the ground.
Visit of Kazakhstani Students
On 18th of July 2024, UfU also hosted students with an agricultural background from various Kazakhstani universities as part of Apollo e.V.’s “Agricultural Internship Program in Brandenburg.” The students were briefed on the impact of climate change on agriculture and the innovative solutions being implemented through UfU’s projects. The session, led by Sami Çeltikoğlu and Dr. Arne Reck, sparked significant interest in the CarbonIQ project, particularly its potential to transform agricultural practices in Kazakhstan.
The visit of the Kazakhstani delegation to UfU marked a significant step towards strengthening environmental cooperation between Kazakhstan and Germany. The in-depth discussions and project insights provided a solid foundation for future cooperation aimed at improving sustainable agricultural practices and climate resilience in Kazakhstan. UfU remains committed to supporting Kazakhstan in its journey towards environmental sustainability and climate adaptation.
UfU Projects in Kazakhstan
Projekt4646
The aim of “Project4646” is to conduct a feasibility study on the topics “climate change in agriculture, food safety and know-how transfer between Germany and the Republic of Kazakhstan” and comprises two study phases. In the first step, a preliminary study on the perception of climate change by farmers, political decision-makers and agricultural stakeholders is carried out by interviewing focus groups. In the second step, a direct survey of farmers regarding their perception of the climate crisis will be conducted.
Projekt CarbonIQ
The CarbonIQ pilot study aims to provide a basis for decision-making on the feasibility of carbon farming in Kazakhstan as an important environmental protection and climate change mitigation technology. Specifically, the CarbonIQ project aims to assess the carbon storage potential of Kazakh soils, estimate their capacity and analyse important impacts such as the promotion of biodiversity. “CarbonIQ” also supports economic sustainability by unlocking the potential of soil carbon storage for farmers. Farmers can thus see first-hand how sustainable farming practices can benefit both nature and their own incomes.
Better participation portals for Europe - Guide with good practice examples is online!
17. July 2024
The Aarhus Digital Guide with international good practice examples for participation portals in environmental issues is online. It provides an overview of good practices in designing digital participation portals in 11 countries, with a focus on participation in environmental impact assessments. Online participation portals for civil society exist at both national and regional levels. Their aim is to bring together information on specific participation procedures.
The guide is aimed in particular at environmental authorities in EU Member States that set up and operate participation portals. Authorities can use the guide to obtain specific information on the recommendations for digital public participation under the Aarhus Convention and to be inspired by examples of good practice from different countries, including those outside Europe. It also provides civil society with an overview of the different digital options for effective participation.
An international study by UfU has shown that the design of Environmental Impact Assessment portals is inadequate in almost all European countries, thus failing to fully implement the Aarhus Convention. Yet effective public participation in environmental matters is a key component of sound planning and permitting decisions and strengthens democratic participation. Digital participation portals can play a key role in simplifying formal participation procedures and making them more accessible.
The guide provides an overview of the main features and requirements of good participation portals and is illustrated with examples of good practice from 11 countries. We analysed the following countries Austria, Canada, Estonia, France, Germany, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Slovenia, Spain, Ukraineand the USA.
We have grouped the good practices into the following categories:
- One portal for all: In order to successfully involve citizens, it is necessary to have a central participation portal that lists all environmental impact assessments, regardless of the authority’s competence within a country.
- Visualisation & maps: A graphical overview of ongoing EIA procedures makes it easy for citizens to find out whether procedures are taking place in their home region or at a specific site of interest.
- Document organisation: Clear provision of documents, easy to understand filing systems and non-technical summaries are necessary for successful participation.
- Comment function: A comment function allows comments to be submitted quickly and easily for analysis by the authorities.
- Archive function: The archive feature allows users to search for and view completed procedures.
- Apps and chatbots: Apps and chatbots could ensure particularly user-friendly and effective public participation and could be linked to existing EIA portals.
- Authorities should also use social media to promote participation portals and digital procedures.
The guide also provides background information on the Aarhus Convention, a toolbox for digital public participation and further information on digital public hearings.
UfU study: State of digital public participation in environmental issues in five EU Member States
Together with partners from Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia and Spain, we analysed the state of digital public participation in environmental issues in five EU Member States and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Digital public participation in environmental issues is an essential element of modern democracy, as effective public involvement leads to more informed decisions that strengthen environmental protection. At present, however, the opportunities for digital participation are only utilised in a rudimentary and fragmented way. Strengthening digital participation procedures by public authorities in EU Member States can therefore lead to more robust and comprehensive public participation in general. The aim of this study is to assess the current state of digital public participation in five EU Member States in order to create an initial knowledge base. In the future, the information gained can be used to improve the digital capabilities and capacities within authorisation authorities.
The study analyses the different uses of digital public participation procedures in the EU in relation to environmental impact assessment (EIA). It becomes clear that there is no common understanding of how to regulate and use digital tools to promote and facilitate public participation. However, this comparative approach can encourage Member State authorities to adopt best practices from the countries presented and learn from existing shortcomings.
Suggestions for improvement
After assessing the situation in the five countries analysed, the following suggestions for improvement for effective digital public participation emerged.
EIA portals
- Establishment of a standardised national EIA portal.
- All projects and their relevant documents are published on the EIA portal.
- Non-technical summary of the project and the environmental impact study are available
- The documents are downloadable in a user-friendly format.
- The documents are complete and organised in a predefined filing system with easily identifiable file names.
- Search function to find cases, documents and text within documents.
- Searchable archive function to find information on completed projects.
- Automatic notifications about projects in a specific area or field of interest (e.g. via email or app).
- The EIA portal allows direct comments on projects without a lengthy registration process.
- Responses to participants’ comments are public and easily accessible online.
Public hearings
- Accessible online and offline (hybrid).
- Online hearings can be set up without the prior consent of all participants.
- The public concerned can participate in the hearing at any time.
General
- Specific separate legislation on electronic public participation.
- The standards for electronic public participation must be as high as those for face-to-face participation.
- Funding of pilot projects.
- Dissemination of information via social media.
Berlin's schools facing heat shock? Climate protection conference on 15.11.23 shows pent-up demand in many areas
November 27, 2023
Berlin’s schools facing heat shock? Climate protection conference on 15.11.23 shows pent-up demand in many areas
Heat records, extreme weather and drought in the Berlin metropolitan region. This also means that there is a considerable (catch-up) need for changes in learning content and structural adaptations at Berlin’s schools. This is one of the key findings of the 25th symposium “Climate Protection in Schools”, which took place in Berlin-Charlottenburg on 15.11.2023.
The climate crisis has also reached us. The changing climate in Berlin has a significant impact on our lives and therefore also on the lives of our children, who spend a large part of their time at school. This raises important questions: What do the climatic changes mean for teaching and learning content at school? How does the structural design of schools need to be changed? What are the biggest practical obstacles and who supports teachers? These questions were discussed at the annual “Climate protection in schools” conference organized by UfU in November 2023. After three keynote speeches, the topics were explored in depth in seven practical workshops to provide tools for everyday teaching.
Berlin has some catching up to do
A lot still needs to happen to adapt to the climatic changes in Berlin. Façade greening, solar roofs, school gardens, sponge city, heat adaptation – these are just some of the terms associated with the school of the future. In his keynote speech, State Secretary for School Construction Dr. Torsten Kühne explained the current status from the perspective of the Senate Department for Education, Youth and Family. With the Berlin school construction offensive, a program of measures has been initiated to sustainably improve the situation in Berlin’s schools. The Berlin School Construction Off ensive (BSO) is the largest investment project of the last and current legislative period. Since its launch in 2016 with around 189 million euros, around 900 million euros per year have now been spent on school construction. The program is rolled out in various tranches, which include not only the construction of new schools, but also refurbishment, conversion and expansion. The new schools built in the current tranche comply with the KfW 55 standard. Rainwater management, extensive green roofs, solar systems, the use of sustainable building materials and a recycling concept are therefore integral components.
Access to energy data is still lacking
At the symposium, access to the energy data of public non-residential buildings, including schools, was once again critically discussed. This is because consumption in many Berlin schools is still far too high. Many schools and other public non-residential buildings are now equipped with smart meters, which would allow them to monitor their own consumption over short periods of time and identify peak consumption. The law has long stipulated that the consumption of public non-residential buildings must be made publicly accessible. However, this usually only happens at long intervals and as a summary of annual consumption. However, schools are places of learning and therefore also of learning to take responsibility for their own actions. By facilitating access to the school’s consumption data, pupils could gain a much better understanding of their own actions and thus also of the effectiveness of behavioral changes. The lack of space despite all the new buildings and the lack of solar roofs on existing buildings were further points raised by participants in the discussion. Dr. Kühne was unable to give a binding assurance that all Berlin schools will actually have photovoltaic modules on their roofs by the statutory deadline at the end of 2024. These and many other issues must be tackled by Berlin’s politicians and administration together with the schools if schools are to remain good places to learn in the future. The numerous topics of the practical workshops at the event ranged from green schoolyard design to practical energy saving, the inclusion of solar panels in lessons, façade greening, rainwater and waste projects and instructions for successful climate action days. In view of the fact that there are around 1,000 schools in Berlin and that, with almost half a million pupils, they are among the largest consumers of energy in the public sector, it is clear that there will be no climate-neutral Berlin without the schools. Our special thanks go to Stephan Natz from Berliner Wasserbetriebe (BWB), who highlighted the importance of Berliner Wasserbetriebe as a training company and educational institution for Berlin schools and their pupils in his keynote speech. His presentation, which can be downloaded here, covered everything from the “Sahel zone of Germany with flooding potential” to the sponge city of Berlin and new drinking water wells at schools. As a rule, Berlin schoolchildren visit the water companies and their facilities, especially sewage treatment plants, twice during their school career to gain an understanding of the water cycle. In view of increasing droughts and heat in the city, the careful use of water resources is becoming increasingly important and at the same time access to clean drinking water in Berlin schools must be ensured through drinking fountains, for example. We would also like to thank Caroline Frey, a member of the extended school management team at Schweizerhof Primary School. The school has introduced the innovative concept of FreiDays, which gives pupils the opportunity to work on numerous projects on future issues on climate action days.
Last but not least, we would like to thank the Oberstufenzentrum Kraftfahrzeugtechnik for kindly providing the school’s own premises for the conference. The annual symposium is part of the award-winning KlimaVisionen project and is organized by UfU’s Competence Centre for Climate Neutral Schools on behalf of the Senate Department for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and the Environment. If you have any questions or require more information, please contact Florian Kliche (florian.kliche@ufu.de). More than 90 participants took part in the symposium with three keynote speeches and seven practical workshops. The symposium is recognized as official further training by the state of Berlin.
County reports on civil society participation in climate policies now available
27. November 2023
Country reports on civil society participation in climate policies now available
Together with local research teams, the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues has conducted eight country studies to investigate the environment and conditions for climate-related participation of civil society. The first reports are now available.
This year, the UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 28) is taking place from 30 November until 12 December 2023 in Dubai. 2023 marks the year of the first Global Stocktake, focusing on assessing the overall progress made by the parties to the Paris Agreement in addressing the climate crisis and limiting global warming towards “well below 2°C above preindustrial levels and pursuing efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”.
The gap between the urgent need to drastically reduce emissions and the current implementation falls far short. The current policies in place imply that the global temperature is expected to rise by 2.8°C by the end of this century. Even with the full implementation of the current pledges the temperature rise is projected to 2.4-2.6°C. Climate Scientists agree that above a warming of 2°C, the probability of reaching tipping points becomes increasingly likely, leading to irreversible and accelerated changes in the climate system. The impacts of the climate crisis continue to escalate, faster and more severe than expected, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable specifically in countries from the global South. It is crucial to fully address the gaps and the implementation of current policies to safeguard the well-being of all people and the planet. Within the framework of the Paris Agreement, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are a key tool to ratchet up climate protection. Within the process of the development and review of the NDCs it is legally binding and crucial to involve civil society actors as they are watchdogs and advocates for a fair socio-environmental transformation and know the local circumstances and needs of civil society.
Together with local research teams, the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues conducted eight country studies to investigate the environment and conditions for climate-related participation, such as the legal framework for participation, as well as concrete practices of participatory policy making in Georgia, the Republic of Moldova, Kazakhstan, Ukraine, Colombia, Argentina, Chile and Costa Rica between autumn 2022 and spring 2023. The analysis explores how national civil society is being involved in political processes related to climate policies, including processes under the Paris Agreement. The focus thereby lies on organised groups, rather than individuals and the general public. Are civil society organisations involved in the development of climate-relevant national plans, strategies and other document? Are there good examples or good approaches of participation that enable civil society actors to effectively influence national political processes and raise ambition in climate matters? The studies also identifies concrete country-specific barriers that hamper meaningful, effective and long-term participation, and gives advice for overcoming these barriers.
Environmental participation in Zagreb now works via an app!
November 24, 2023
Environmental participation in Zagreb now works via an app!
UfU project successfully launches an app for environmental participation in Zagreb!
If you want to raise public awareness of environmental protection in your own area, participation is a good way to do so. For example, anyone who discovers garbage, illegally felled trees or other environmental damage in their neighborhood, surroundings or local recreation area is usually annoyed by it, but finds few opportunities to take action against it. However, if people are given an easy way to report this environmental damage for the purpose of its removal, not only does the sensitivity for discovering such damage increase, but also the emotional value of their own environment. In Zagreb, Croatia, UfU, together with the Croatian environmental organization Zelena Akcija, has developed an app that enables civilians to report environmental damage. There has been a telephone hotline for this purpose in Croatia since 1997, the so-called green telephone. The new “Smart Green Phone” app is intended to simplify this service and encourage young people in particular to get involved in environmental protection. The app makes it easy to send photos of environmental damage with location information. The information collected in this way can be easily distributed to the relevant authorities and also makes it easier for the authorities to rectify environmental damage. To ensure that the app is also used by the population, numerous participation processes, including surveys on the use and potential for improvement of the current/telephone service, a virtual study visit to good or similar digital participation tools from Germany and Croatia, were integrated into the development. The app currently “only” relates to Zagreb, but is to be extended to the whole of Croatia in the future. The project is an example of how digital tools can be used to sustainably improve cooperation between the civilian population and the authorities in order to achieve a common goal. The app met with a very positive response in the Croatian media. Headlines such as “Download the new” Smart Green Phone “app and report environmental problems” or the descriptions as “a revolutionary solution” call for direct use of the app. Participation is one of UfU’s core research areas. Digital participation of citizens with the help of such apps is also an opportunity to strengthen trust in democracy and society. This example should be extended to other countries in the EU and other areas.
Making participation in the search for a repository fair, legally compliant and responsive across borders. Research report published
November 22, 2023
Making participation in the search for a repository fair, legally compliant and responsive across borders.
Research report published
Due to Germany’s location in the middle of Europe, sites close to national borders are also being considered for a deep geological repository for radioactive waste. These repositories have an impact beyond their immediate location and therefore also across borders. For this reason, the foreign public must also be involved in the site selection process, particularly in view of the different legal and socio-cultural contexts in the various neighboring countries. Consequently, the participatory, science-based and learning approach of the site selection process must also be ensured for the foreign public. This was the result of a recent study conducted by the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues and the Öko-Institut on behalf of the Federal Office for the Safety of Nuclear Waste Management.
The project examined the legal, political and cultural conditions that are important for cross-border public participation in the site selection process for a repository for high-level radioactive waste in Germany for the neighboring states.
The project comprised a systematic literature review of legal and social science literature, a media response analysis in the neighboring countries with regard to reporting on relevant topics relating to the search for a repository, case studies on previous cross-border participation procedures and regional studies on five selected border regions. On the basis of these research steps, recommendations were developed for the design of the legally prescribed formats in the site selection procedure. The project also contributed to opening up fields of research that have been little studied to date. For example, the research work provides contributions to the legal analysis of the legal requirements for cross-border public participation in the context of site selection and a comparative presentation of the experiences of the various neighboring countries with regard to public participation and cross-border cooperation.
The project was funded by the Departmental Research Plan for the Environment of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).
Contact persons:
Franziska Sperfeld (Independent Institute for Environmental Issues)
Study visits for cross-border exchange and more climate protection measures
Teachers and representatives of city administrations from Poland, Slovenia and Bulgaria are visiting Berlin to plan new climate protection measures at their schools and exchange experiences. The aim is to take more measures, particularly through the participation of pupils. Teachers and school representatives from a total of 6 municipalities and three countries are visiting Berlin. The delegation, which is networking with each other in Berlin and visiting numerous examples of climate action, is part of the “Visions 2045 – Schools as drivers for climate neutrality in cities” project.
Schools are major energy consumers in municipalities and cause highCO2 emissions. However, as places where future generations learn, schools play a special role when it comes to early learning and acceptance of climate protection measures. If people learn at a young age how important it is to act in an environmentally friendly way, this increases their awareness of the issue. However, self-efficacy plays an important role here. Learning about the climate crisis can quickly have a paralyzing effect if people are not offered opportunities to act. The project therefore networks the various schools with one another in order to create synergies and learn from one another. To this end, UfU is calling for more funding and support for schools. This is because adaptation to climate change and, if possible, the containment of global warming must be promoted in schools. The project plans and implements targeted projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in schools. We want to promote climate protection in schools in the partner countries and here locally and anchor it structurally in everyday school life.
The climate protection measures are based on ideas from the school community, which is why their participation is central. This means that pupils, teachers, the school and building administration, parents and also representatives of the city administration come together and jointly develop an internal vision for a climate-neutral school with concrete measures on the way there. The concept is used in the Berlin KlimaVisionen project and is now being taught during the study visits and expanded with the experiences of the participants. The 50 or so teachers from Poland, Slovenia and Bulgaria discuss methods and concepts such as the vision workshop with teachers and organizations here in Berlin and adapt them to their own context. They also experience the Frei Day concept at Schweizerhof Primary School, in which pupils plan and implement projects independently and thus experience problem-based, holistic learning. They will be inspired by game ideas for food appreciation from Restlos Glücklich and learn more about the potential of vegetarian school meals and climate- and energy-efficient kitchens from Malte Schmidthals from the IZT. The Peter Lenné School shows how it was able to implement effective water cycle and greening measures with the district administration and Kiezwald e.V. encourages mini-forests at schools and their neighborhoods. The study visits and the associated exchange support networking between the schools from the different countries. This is very valuable, because climate protection doesn’t just happen, it thrives on cooperation and joint action. In the next few weeks, vision workshops will be held at the partner schools and next year we will be able to report on the students’ actions.
