The international climate camp in Slovenia came to an end with the presentation of the participants’ ideas for tackling climate change in the Slovenian parliament.

1. Binding Targets for CO2 concentrations that give us a realistic chance of staying under a 2°C rise
2. An alternative to GDP as a measure of progress
3. To get the prices right: reflect the true environmental and social cost
4. Finance for structural change to low carbon transportation, green buildings and food production
5. To Ease Technological Transfer to developing countries
6. To address global population growth
7. An adequate contribution to the adaptation fund for developing countries
8. A global sectoral approach to emissions reduction
9. An agreement to establish mandatory targets at a national level for renewable energy production
10. For all countries to establish a Ministry dedicated to climate change to ensure implementation of agreed targets

30 young Climate Advocates from six countries, who are all engaged in the British Council’s Challenge Europe project, came together in the mountains of Slovenia to define their own top ten priorities for action on climate change. These ideas are targeted at both the forthcoming UNFCCC conference in Copenhagen and at wider global issues that affect our approach to climate change.

Nordic Climate Solutions took place at the Bella Centre in Copenhagen only three months before the Centre is to host COP15. The conference provided an important networking opportunity for businesses, politicians, researchers and Climate Advocates concerned with climate change.

As the name suggests, Nordic Climate Solutions emphasised ways to accelerate the change to a low carbon future – right here, right now – moving beyond the years old rhetoric of “yes, there is a problem, and yes, we need to do something about it.” The conference was all about solutions and tried to be bold in its approach – just as Challenge Europe Climate Advocates are in their endeavours. Read more about Nordic Climate Solutions in our report. 
 

‘Global Green’ at the Electric Picnic festival, 4-6 September, was a place relax, explore and reflect on critical issues and ponder on how we might green up our lives. The whole area was curated by Challenge Europe partners, Cultivate with a little help from the British Council’s advocates from Ireland and Northern Ireland.

One team of advocates were on hand to guide festival goers through the Carbon Confessional, which this year was supported by the Change campaign and ESB. The Carbon Confessional was a video viewing booth where festival goers could watch media on climate change and relieve their carbon conscience by making a pledge to change something in their lives.

A second team of advocates worked on a giant picnic, the ‘EAT IN’ with Slow Food. Tables were laid for over sixty people, many had pre-booked weeks before the event. They ate from ceramic plates, using real cutlery in a statement on waste and how we eat. The EAT IN was dedicated to raising awareness of global issues, including biodiversity, food security and climate change. The Irish Minister for Energy, Eamonn Ryan, was the first to take his seat at the EAT IN, with his wife and four kids. An expert panel discussion involving the Junior Minister for Food and Horticulture, Trevor Sargeant followed and the focus of discussions was 'How Do You Eat Yours' and how as a consumer we have the ability to make choices around the food we eat.

Global Green was a great success and a unique opportunity for Challenge Europe advocates to develop their own knowledge and project ideas, to network with experts and decision makers and to have lots of fun in the process!

At the end of August the Embassy of the United Kingdom in Lithuania was full of busy artists - participants of the Vilnius workshop known as the Eco Laboratory. The final event had a number of selected items produced by the participants of the project on display. The winner of the first prize Giedrė Šakauskaitė created a pouf and a coffee table from the old washing machine cylinders. An elegant city bicycle - an ecological means of transportation – was a special prize of the British Embassy for the winner.

Director of British Council Lithuania Artūras Vasiliauskas noted addressing the ceremony participants, “I wish such initiatives – making new useful things using waste material - start spreading. This could lead to new trends and new mentality. It is useful to realize that the resources of our planet are fragile and not everlasting and never-ending.”