1planet4all: How do we address climate change? We give space to scientists, train journalists and paint (the devil) on the wall

Published: Sep 14, 2021 Reading time: 10 minutes
1planet4all: How do we address climate change? We give space to scientists, train journalists and paint (the devil) on the wall
© Photo: Člověk v tísni

The 1Planet4All project brings together 14 NGOs in 12 countries to draw attention to ongoing climate change and its impact in developing countries. The project focuses on awareness raising among the younger generation and providing support to teachers and journalists in communicating the complex issues related to climate change.

The protagonists of 1Planet4All are people from poor countries in the Global South who are facing the impact of climate extremes and abuse of land. However, their fate is also our fate here in Europe, as climate change affects everyone on Earth, and where the inhabitants of the poor South are today, we may soon be too.

our activities

As part of 1Planet4All, we are implementing several programmes to draw attention to ongoing climate change and reveal the complex web of relationships and stories related to this phenomenon. Although we always rely on exact data, we are looking for ways to reach young audiences by other means than through graphs and figures.

We use art to reach young people


The Faces of Climate Change campaign uses street art as a means of telling the stories of five people from the Global South who are tackling the impact of climate change and the mismanagement of ecosystems. For the campaign we collaborated with the artist Toy_Box, who gave the murals a comic book appearance and narrative style. The campaign tries to point out the imbalance between those who are causing climate change and those who are suffering as a result.

More Info about the Project The Faces of Climate Change

CLI-FI

The CLI-FI 2050 exhibition provided an opportunity to see work by Czech and international artists on their ideas about the year 2050 in the context of climate change. In Karlín Kasarna, it was possible to see paintings, objects, installations, photographs and videos. Information about the exhibition and photos can be seen here. One particular highlight was a timeline by the Slovak initiative Nestrácajme čas!, which you can see in English by clicking here.


Building know-how in environmental communication

People in Need is also newly engaged in the field of climate change communication; to this end, we are conducting an extensive public opinion survey on climate change, mapping the opinions, values and preferred communication methods of the various groups within Czech society. Within the framework of this research, PIN is closely focused on communication with young people and wants to continue sharing its results with those interested in the topic.

The Engaging Young People in Climate Change research project provides recommendations for NGOs, schools, and local governments on successfully engaging young people in addressing climate change. You can access the research here [in Czech].

The Czech Climate 2021 public opinion survey provides information on the current attitudes of the Czech public towards climate change, climate policies, and into which groups Czech society is divided according to their relationship with climate change. The research is complemented by two reports on the attitudes of young people aged 15-20 and 21-35.

We present Czech scientists and their arguments

Scientists are among the most respected spokespeople on environmental issues, so we approached three leading environmental scientists to provide responses to three important climate change myths we have identified. PIN plans to further develop its collaboration with the academic sector and work with media partners to help raise the issue of climate change in the public discourse.


We support educators in teaching about climate change

Climate change is perceived as a complex and controversial topic, and not only by educators. Therefore, in collaboration with Czech scientists, we have created an online Climate Change course that guides learners through the necessary knowledge using proven data and facts. Teachers will gain expertise on the topic of climate change and can use the course directly in their classes. Watch how we introduced the course on DVTV.

Every year, PIN prepares seminars and webinars for teachers and future teachers focused both on the topic of climate change itself and also on didactics, i.e. how to teach about climate change. In addition, teachers can participate in the long-term programme, “Active Citizens: Protecting the Climate!”, which combines active citizenship and climate change issues.

We are then developing effective methods, teaching procedures and tools into methodological publications and teaching lessons. We also create audiovisual lessons on the subject of climate change, which include documentaries. At present we are preparing a new methodological website for climate change education which will bring together the activities of several Czech organizations and thus provide educators with a solid basis for climate education.

Besides the training of teachers and the publication of methodological materials, PIN organizes conferences for teachers, pupils, students, and other actors in education. The conferences feature real stories of people engaged in climate change – from the perspective of a scientist, farmer, educator or a student activist. These conferences are also an opportunity to share the participants’ own projects and experience and to build relationships across schools and organizations. Watch the conference recordings on Climate Change stories and When water waste is a crime.

Engaging young people in addressing climate change

The Gratias Tibi Award recognizes young people under the age of 30 who are actively involved in the world around us and who are changing things for the better through their actions. With this award, PIN shows young people that we appreciate their efforts. Since 2020, the Award has also been highlighting environmental achievements with a separate category.

For over 10 years, PIN has been offering support and space to primary and secondary school pupils and students to create their own public benefit projects. The Who else programme encourages young people to take an active part in the story of their neighbourhood.

In the long-term programme "Active Citizens: protecting the climate!" high school students explore how climate change is affecting the places where they live, and map what people in their local communities think about the issue. They then actively participate in finding solutions, and come up with proposals which are implemented in the form of community projects.

We financially support youth projects focused on climate change and create a space for sharing and developing project ideas through the Pro-action Café.

The 11th year of the comic competition, “Bohouš and Dáša are changing the world”, is called „Get to know the faces of climate change!”, and builds on our street art campaign. Young artists are introduced to the stories of people facing the impact of climate change and create their own comics based on the stories. This creative approach awakens pupils' and students' interest in the world around them and helps them form their own attitudes towards the world's biggest issues.

We provide information about climate change

Information is key to understanding the complex relationships between humans and our environment, so PIN developed an information website which sets the key facts straight. The website uses concise messages and clear infographics, richly illustrated by the artist Toy_Box. The ambition of the website is to serve as a first stop for anyone who needs a summary of the basic facts and concepts related to climate change. It is also intended to direct visitors to relevant source literature and materials to further develop their knowledge.

Discussion is crucial for the critical work of spreading information. That is why we also organize public debates on various topics related to climate change, including debates on Climate facts and myths and Climate justice.

We educate in a creative way
Studio Charles Games, in collaboration with People in Need, has created a mobile computer game that puts the latest scientific knowledge about climate change solutions into the hands of young people in a fun way! The BeeCarbonize game, available for free on the AppStore, Google Play and Itch.io, allows people to put themselves into the shoes of those deciding the future of our planet. Read more about the game here.

To better engage our audiences, we use modern tools at public events. For example, we have created a virtual reality showing the effects of climate change in Ethiopia, allowing people to understand the situation in developing countries better. You can also view the virtual reality online at this link.



we support environmental journalism

An important part of the project is to support journalists covering climate change. As part of the 1planet4all project, Jan Hejl and Jakub Plíhal from the Czech electronic newspaper Aktuálně.cz travelled to Mongolia, where they spoke with local herders about life in a country plagued by severe frost (called dzuds) and long droughts (link to the report in Czech here).

In the past, dzuds occurred in Mongolia about twice a decade, but due to climate change, they have started to appear yearly. As a result, nomads are losing large herds of goats and sheep and increasingly trading in a more rural lifestyle for an urban one in Ulaanbaatar (the capital of Mongolia). This brings about different sort of issues as Ulaanbaatar, the world's coldest capital city, also has some of the world’s most polluted air. Residents there mostly use coal briquettes to heat their yurts, and the local coal-fired heating and power plant has a very negative impact on the air. Tim Jenkins, PIN’s previous Country Director in Mongolia, confirms that "the smog situation here is worse than in major Chinese cities". You can see a photo gallery from Ulaanbaatar directly on Aktuálně.cz.

However, despite the negative impacts of climate change, it is possible to witness a successful example of biodiversity conservation in Mongolia. At Chustai Nuru Park, the nearly extinct takhi, or Przewalski's horse, can be seen. The Prague Zoo has played a significant role in saving this species, transporting thirty of these horses to Mongolia over the past eleven years. You can read more in the report (in Czech). You can also view the photo gallery on Aktuálně.cz.

Despite the great geographical distance and different natural conditions, the Czech Republic has much in common with Mongolia. Due to the two nation’s shared communist past, Czechia used to be Mongolia's second-largest trading partner until the 1980s. Because of their time spent in the Czech Republic, some Mongolians have very clear memories of Czech culture and language and even consider Czechia to their second home.

People in Need has been working in Mongolia since 2009. We help locals cope with harsh winters, raise awareness among entrepreneurs about financial literacy, and support local education providers and healthcare workers.


media outreach



About the project

1Planet4All is an international project bringing together 14 NGOs from 12 European countries (Czech Republic, Slovakia, Italy, France, Germany, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Belgium, Estonia, Poland and Austria). The project goal is to raise awareness among young people about climate change – what causes it and how it affects us and people living in developing countries. It also focuses on possible solutions and seeks to support young people involved in civil society, in their efforts to shape a sustainable future for all.

The project is supported by the European Union and its Development Education and Awareness Raising (DEAR) programme, which seeks to motivate young people to engage with global issues and the challenges the world is facing today. It supports projects which engage the European Union public on global issues of social, economic, and environmental development.

By funding projects such as 1planet4all, DEAR aims to promote the universal values of freedom, democracy and the rule of law, and to enable European citizens to make a positive contribution to global development. The DEAR Programme funds up to 30 projects running simultaneously in EU Member States. These projects help increase the European public's understanding of social and global issues and actively engage with solutions at a local as well as an international level. DEAR promotes EU support for the Sustainable Development Goals to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all by 2030.

More information about the DEAR programme can be found at: http://dearprogramme.eu.

Articles about environment


Autor: Člověk v tísni

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