Throughout the project and especially during our evaluation session, we talked and shared a lot about our future ideas, and especially ideas for working together. Not only at our own meeting, but all over Copenhagen during the COP15 there were many engaged young people looking to build a youth climate movement – in Europe and throughout the world! Below you can find many of the ideas we discussed for the upcoming year.
**************************************************
Baltic Sea Anti-Nuclear Infotour
The Baltic Sea is the most radioactive sea in the world – so we thought it made sense to inform about nuclear power and its risks (nuclear power is not a solution to climate change!!). The idea is to arrange a (maybe caravan) infotour around the Baltic Sea in summer 2010. That way we want to come in contact with local initiatives, do action, take part in information events and organize some of those events ourselves, have network meetings with local activists, spread information about nuclear issues and maybe other topics, too.
http://www.greenkids.de/europas-atomerbe/index.php/Action:Infotour_Around_The_Baltic_Sea
At local stops on the tour we would like to see street actions (like street theater and info stalls), meetings with local activists and maybe offer information events on topics we would like to inform about. So far there are already groups involved from Sweden, Finland and Poland, and we are looking for more!
Local people should organize accommodation and food for the participants of the tour; and they also should make the advertising/promotion in media and for locals of the project and organize the local information events and actions. The participiants of the Tour will join the street actions, help with the events and try to participate the organizing process of these local activities. But most local organizing tasks (as room, food, advertising) will have to be done by local people.
**************************************************
Scandinavian Climate Camp
Danish participants and their local network, along with their neighbours from Sweden, Norway and Finland are trying to make a united Climate Camp in the summer of 2010. The plan is in an early stage right now, but so far the idea is to create a action based camp with space for both DIY workshops, discussions and actions against some of the worst climate criminals here in Scandinavia.
For local people, the first meeting will be Wednsday February 17th in Copenhagen.
http://www.climatecollective.org
**************************************************
UNFCCC Climate Talks in Bonn (Germany)
Monday 31 May – Friday 11 June 2010
After the failure in Copenhagen, the UN will host the next big round of climate talks (the so-called COP and a half) in Bonn Germany, this June. Already we know local activists are planning some actions and events around the talks, including the idea for an alternative forum and probably a camp. And young people should be there too!
EYFA will help host a meeting in Amsterdam, on February 27-28 to talk and start planning about 'what comes next' after Copenhagen. We want some representatives of the Cooling Our Futures project were there too, to provide a youth perspective on what we should organise around Bonn, and for the rest of the year. During the evaluation sessions of the project already a some people expressed an interest, and in the next period we will see who can come for sure and try to arrange some travel funding.
To keep up to date on what is happening, you can join the Climate Justice Action mailing list and of course, check the EYFA website!
**************************************************
The Ecotopia Biketour
This is a project for everyone interested in do-it-yourself (”diy”) environmentalism, culture, nature, community life and the art of travelling without engines – the exact opposite of an all-inclusive flight to the beach! Moving all our stuff by sheer pedal power, we create an eco-mobile community building up strong connections between participants coming from different cultures and groups, as well as between ourselves and our hosts.
The Biketour started as an EYFA project and now, going into its 20th year, has its own network and structure. In the summer of 2009 the tour cycled through Serbia, Macedonia, Albania, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. Right now planning and organising the 2010 tour has already started: we will start in the UK, visiting the Towards Carfree Cities Conference in York at the end of June, before 2-3 weeks of cycling in the UK and then onto continental Europe for several more weeks riding and visiting camps & projects. We will be opening the application process to join the 2010 tour in April/May. The final destination of the tour is still open to debate, so why not get involved??
We would love to hear any of your suggestions of places to visit (or avoid!), people to meet, camps or actions to join, in the UK, France, Germany, Belgium & Netherlands and around.
http://www.ecotopiabiketour.net/
**************************************************
Camp Action Climat (France)
Last summer the first Climate Camp took place in France, and there will be another camp this summer!The main target of the camp will be the petroleum company TOTAL (the biggest French polluter!!) and the location will be near their biggest refinery.
The Ecotopia biketour might use this camp as the final destination of their tour. Wouldn't it be great to meet again in France next summer??
**************************************************
Empowering Ourselves and Each Other: Skillshare and Exchange (Moldova)
In May EYFA is hosting a project in Moldova to share and develop skills that will allow young people to get involved in democratic and civic processes, both at a local and international level. This meeting won't just be about climate change, but it is certainly a topic that will come up during the week! Right now the agenda and workshop schedule is still in development, so we're eager to hear from people who would like to be involved in organising or participating.
People from Romania, Croatia, Bulgaria, Russia, Belarus, Belgium, Netherlands and Germany discussed the project during the evaluation session of the Cooling Our Futures project. Ideas for meeting workshops that came out of our discussion: linking climate change and the labour movement, how to build sustainable and long-term projects (ie: a library or social center), militarism in the Black Sea region, introduction to feminism and queer rights, facilitation training and student activism.
To keep up to date with what is happening, check the EYFA website or email eyfa@eyfa.org.