England

Sheridan Chilvers, Climate Research Officer, Nottingham City Council

Challenge Europe offers Sheridan a unique opportunity to make a real difference in the fight against climate change by working with likeminded people on a national and international level. Sheridan believes that Challenge Europe offers a forum in which individuals that are passionate about preserving the world for future generations can communicate and exchange ideas. 

Victoria Hurth, Post-graduate student, Sustainability & Consumption, University of Exeter

Victoria is convinced that we all have a vital role to play in reducing global carbon emissions, but, as wealthy Europeans, we have even more potential for influence. For her, Challenge Europe is the ideal forum to develop, with others, innovative, realistic solutions. Victoria is passionate that we recognise our ability to grab this window of opportunity and make a low carbon future - our future reality.  Victoria believes that climate change is an urgent issue and Challenge Europe is the right programme at the right time to enable a group of young, skilled and committed people to influence the influential.
 

Erica Grigg, Director Carbon Outreach, London

Through Challenge Europe Erica hopes to influence British and European policy concerning climate change and to reach out to as many communities that she can to inspire and invigorate the climate change agenda with fresh, new and various hi-tech methods of connecting as many interested parties as possible.

Aisling O’Sullivan Darcy, Research Assistant, AEA Technology, Oxfordshire

Through Challenge Europe Aisling is hoping to study and build a template from which real environmental change can stem. She believes that the Challenge Europe Programme will present an opportunity to make a real difference, and is sure that it will allow important sharing of cross-border solutions to tackle climate change, and feels this communication and sharing of knowledge is the key to finding a sustainable solution.

Holly Preston, Research Assistant, Centre for Air Transport / Environment, Manchester

Holly is hoping that the Challenge Europe Advocates can make a difference, no matter how big or small.  With this project, Holly is also hoping to meet many people through which connections and skills can be developed; but also hopefully, we will be able to produce something that can not only galvanise us advocates, governments, businesses etc, but also the general public too.

Elinor Newman-Beckett, Undergraduate Student, Politics, University of Cambridge

Challenge Europe affords Elinor the opportunity to meet and work with a diverse group of individuals who may have very different ideas from her own. Elinor is motivated by the challenge setting realistic and achievable goals, meeting those goals, and forming lasting partnerships and networks within and beyond the group of Climate Advocates.

Nicola Dee, Technology Management by Sustainable Energy Ventures, University of Cambridge

Nicola hopes Challenge Europe will help present the views of younger people to those in positions of influence, since we are facing very real questions about the cost of living if economic activity remains unsustainable. Nicola also hopes Challenge Europe will introduce her to people who will increase her social capital and who are open to the receipt of ideas based on her experiences and others. Nicola hopes to gain a better understanding of their roles and responsibilities, and how these can be harnessed for change. Understanding how to influence decision making is critical to success, and is one of the reasons why Nicola is particularly interested in Challenge Europe.

Toby Roscoe, Energy Assessor, Sustainability Solutions, Worcester

Toby believes that Challenge Europe is such a great opportunity in that it allows the Advocates to collaborate right across Europe, pooling the best of the ideas to help us solve climate change. Toby enjoys learning about new cultures and talking with like-minded individuals about sustainability and climate issues, so to be able to combine both of these in Challenge Europe, to be able to listen to ideas for a more sustainable future coming from different cultural perspectives will be absolutely fascinating and extremely valuable for him and for the process of fighting climate change productively.