Sustainaware

The project is completed. The project aimed at educating Slovenian and Hungarian youth about climate change and climate action using non-formal concepts.

Awareness Climate Policy Education

Beitragsbild

Project info

Countries:

Hungary, Slovenia

Project duration:

07/20 - 12/22

Target groups:

Educational institutions, Non-governmental organisations

Funding:

158,638.91 €

Contact info

Contact:

Tomaž Gorenc

Implementing organisation
  • Institute for Health and Environment
Partner:
  • CliMates France
  • University of Ljubljana (UL)
  • Youth Network No Excuse Slovenia

Background

The Slovenian and Hungarian youth is aware of climate change issues and has a generally positive attitude toward climate action. However, they are rarely involved in actual projects. To change this, educational projects must not only focus on teaching the science behind climate change, but also on encouraging action. This can only be achieved when projects reach out to young people beyond traditional, formalized education contexts like schools. Instead, they need to adjust to their realities and means of communication.

The Earth Overshoot Day marks the date when humanity has exhausted nature’s budget for the year. If the world’s population would live like the population of Qatar, this day would be on Februray 11 already. (c) IMZTR

Project

To promote “climate literacy” among Central European youth, the project provided educational resources about climate change mitigation. For example, it adjusted the Ecological Footprint Calculator and launched a version tailored to the Slovenian reality. This allowed young people to compare and tackle their resource demands and to transform unsustainable consumption patterns into sustainable ones. Furthermore, the implementing organisations conducted a series of educational events on climate change: Eight webinars, a summer school on climate change and sustainability, and the International Youth Climate Summit. Each format allowed participants and relevant stakeholders from Central Europe to present and discuss project results. Finally, the project addressed the youth worker community by developing a new competence model on climate mitigation and sustainability. Acknowledging the importance of non-formal education and communications systems, the project relied heavily on social media to disseminate the knowledge. 



logo sustainaware

Link to the project website: https://sustainaware.net/climate-mitigation/

Results

  • At the International Youth Climate Summit 26 young participants prepared a Declaration, which explains the position of young people and calls governments and the international community to action. The Declaration was further supported by 53 Slovenian and Hungarian stakeholders, including two National Youth Councils and the Office of the Republic of Slovenia for Youth.
  • Development of the competence model on climate mitigation and sustainability, trainings for teachers/youth workers in Slovenia and Hungary and finally piloting in Slovenia and Hungary (teaching program for non-formal education on dealing with climate change and its mitigation that can be used in the youth sector). 
  • Publication of the youth-friendly “WTF is Climate Change?” brochure in English, Slovenian and Hungarian 
  • Launch of the Slovenian Ecological Footprint Calculator
  • Organising the Sustainaware Summer School on Climate Change and Sustainability

Last update: June 2025

Success Stories

Sustainaware: Climate Action Going Digital

Following the completion of the Sustainaware project, its mission was successfully continued and expanded with the follow-up initiative "Sustainaware: Climate Action Going Digital." This project builds directly on the tools, methods, and networks developed as part of the original EUKI grant. The Slovenian version of the Ecological Footprint Calculator developed by the project remains available and is regularly used by individuals, educators, students, and NGOs throughout Slovenia. The publication "WTF is Climate Change?" continues to be used in climate education, particularly in workshops with young people, exhibitions, and media libraries. Thanks to its accessible language and visual narrative format, it continues to resonate with its target audience.

More about this project

Blog posts

post

17 May 2021

WTF is Climate Change?