Territory on the Move: Youth, Innovation and Community on the Road to Climate Transition
In his opening speech Maria João Ramos presents the 3rd edition of Climate Journey highlighting the central role of youth, innovation and local communities in building a more resilient and sustainable society. The initiative follows the international commitments made in 2015 - the year of the adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement - and reflects Get2C's commitment to promoting concrete actions in line with carbon neutrality. Despite the focus on SDG 13, the project's approach is transversal and contributes to several other SDGs.
Based on the idea that individual action is an integral part of the response to climate change, Journey for the Climate has relied on the collaboration of different partners, including municipalities and government entities, reinforcing the decisive role of all actors in the climate transition.
The 3rd edition: mobilization and active participation
The main aim of this edition was to mobilize Portuguese society to address the urgency of the climate transition, encouraging the active participation of young people and local communities. Among the objectives were:
Promote the direct participation of citizens in decarbonization.
Encourage the involvement of municipalities in this journey.
Evidence of the impact of lifestyles on the carbon and water footprint.
Demonstrate in practice the viability of sustainable choices in terms of mobility, food and resource consumption.
During 12 days, 3 teams traveled 6 municipalitiesThe aim is to carry out the trip in a sustainable way and with a measurable impact on the territories visited.
The "Climate" coin: transparency and quantification of impact
To reinforce climate literacy and make the impact of choices more evident, the fictitious currency "Climate". Participants recorded consumption of:
Water
CO₂ emissions
Time
Money
The recovery of "climates" was made possible through activities with a direct impact on communities, such as:
Educational activities with children;
Creation of murals;
Cleaning beaches and rivers;
Identifying and promoting sustainable local businesses;
Encouraging companies to calculate their carbon footprint using the Get2CZero tool.
The project also included the Climate StoriesThese events highlight citizens who, in their communities, carry out actions that are relevant to sustainability. At the same time, the participants used the Get2ZERO for PeopleThe platform allows you to evaluate your individual footprint.
Mini COP: empowering the next generation
One of the main novelties of this edition was the Mini COPThe initiative encourages students from public and private schools to submit replicable proposals to accelerate the sustainable transition in Portugal. The winning projects will then be monitored by Get2C, helping to turn ideas into concrete solutions.
Testimonies from the young participants
The experience had a significant impact on the young people in the edition - Beatriz Silva, Inês Almeida, Lourenço Ribeiro and Cecília Almeida. They were unanimous in recognizing that the initiative highlighted the importance of individual choices in sustainability and reinforced the need to expand projects that directly involve young people.
Beatriz stressed her desire to extend future editions in order to increase their impact. Cecília said she had become more aware of the environmental impact of water, energy and food consumption. Lourenço valued the enthusiasm of the communities and Beatriz stressed the need to create more spaces for youth intervention. Cecília also highlighted the contact with sustainable businesses and their relevance to the just transition.
Education, community and empowerment
Pedro Cunha - Guimarães Landscape Laboratory
The Landscape Laboratory has reinforced its work in environmental education, essentially through the Footprints Program, which promotes actions with schools and intergenerational initiatives, also integrating the Eco Parliamentwhich brings young people together with local organizations to find solutions to environmental challenges.
Marta Brazão - Lidera Community
A Lidera Communitycomposed of 49 young people from various areas and regions, seeks to give visibility to the work already being done by young people in the field of sustainability. The movement arose from the perception of a lack of youth representation in the media and has contributed to strengthening the active participation of the younger generations.
Luis Costa - Get2C
For Get2C, the Climate Journey is a catalyst project that supports the organization's mission: to provide tools that empower people and entities to accelerate the sustainable transition and promote positive change in the territory.
A movement that grows with the territory
A Climate Journey demonstrates that the climate transition is a collective journey that requires the active involvement of young people, companies, local authorities and citizens. Through innovative, educational and participatory initiatives, this project reinforces the importance of the territory and people as agents of change.
The community dimension, the commitment of the participants and the articulation between different actors illustrate a territory on the move, prepared to face climate challenges and contribute to a more sustainable future.
The full session is available at YouTube.
