Challenge Europe - Cut The Carbon
Updated: 8th May 2009
Europe’s Youth Recruited to Cut Our Carbon Craving
British Council Launches Search for Hundreds of Europe’s Most Motivated Young People to Join ‘Challenge Europe’
The British Council has challenged millions of 18 to 35 year olds from 15 countries across Europe, to take action to cut carbon use by joining a pan-European programme launched to change the way we use carbon forever.
‘Challenge Europe’ is recruiting participants in Northern Ireland and Ireland, fuelled by evidence that climate change is the issue that most concerns this generation. A group of 15-20 ‘Climate Advocates’ in each country will be recruited and then announced in June 2009. They will be selected by an independent panel including Comhar Sustainable Development Council, Cultivate Centre, Business in the Community Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Sustainable Development Commission.
The challenge for ‘Climate Advocates’ will be to draw on knowledge from the worlds of science, business, academia and political thinking to develop and propose at least three practical ideas by the end of 2009. They will then pitch the ideas to outside groups including businesses, entrepreneurs, politicians and philanthropists to transform the concepts into reality.
‘Challenge Europe’ aims to show that individuals currently outside the climate change arena can bypass debate and make a profound impact. In total the British Council aims to mobilise over 200 genuinely motivated ‘Climate Advocates’ to work together to develop over 40 ideas to change fundamentally the way we use carbon.
Liz McBain from the British Council said, “Scientific consensus suggests there is just one generation left before we face the potentially devastating effects of climate change. But not all of us have a way to make an impact beyond our own lives. We’re looking for young dynamic people with passion and drive to challenge and transform the way we all use carbon, forever. Anyone tired of talk and hungry for change should get in touch with us today”.
The new advocates will build on the creativity and energy exercised by the current 21 advocates from Northern Ireland and Ireland who have developed projects including the creation of a corporate carbon club community, promotion of a food growing community network and the formation of innovative food and transport policy initiatives.
The current call for participants comes during the British Council’s anniversary year, marking 75 years of cultural relations. The British Council is committed to increasing understanding of the case for tackling climate change and the Challenge Europe programme is a great example of how this has been successfully achieved on a pan European basis.
Challenge Europe will assemble people from all backgrounds to work together. Successful applicants will offer skills from the scientific and technical worlds to creative and voluntary sectors. All will be adventurous, driven, knowledgeable in their field and highly committed.
They do not necessarily need to show evidence of previous work in the climate change field. Applications should be sent to Challengeeurope@britishcouncil.org by Friday 29 May 2009.
For more information:Challengeeurope@britishcouncil.org
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