EUKI Climate Schools Athens.Berlin: the experience of a very interesting project for climate protection and energy efficiency / energy transition

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Thousands of students from 72 schools of the Municipality of Athens alongside with their teachers and parents expressed their commitment to climate protection. This commitment includes an integrated activity of information, education, training, awareness, research and provision of educational methodologies and tools which constitute the basis for future actions.

The Municipality of Athens, participates in city networks and initiatives at both European and global level with the aim of raising public awareness on climate protection and climate change adaptation. An example of this kind of initiative is the ‘’European Climate Initiative’’, through which, the Municipality of Athens found important support for the implementation of the program called ‘’SCOOLS OPEN TO CLIMATE PROTECTION AND ENERGY SAVINGS Athens – Berlin’’.

The aforementioned program, lasted from October 2017 to January 2020 and aimed for the complicity of the school community in climate protection. The main target of this program was, not only the energy footprint reduction of school buildings, but also to raise students/teachers/parents awareness and knowledge in the subject of energy savings and ecology.

This program used the existing experience as it emerges from environmental educational programs both in Greece and Germany. It also propelled a more comprehensive approach which is the basis for future continuation and expansion of the program in schools:

  • Institutions with different experience and role, from the two countries, collaborated in the program, adding their own know-how: The Municipality of Athens as coordinator, the social cooperative enterprise ‘’Wind of Renewal’’, the German Independent Institute for environmental issues (UFU) and the German Citizen’s initiative ‘’Respect for Greece’’.
  • They also edificated in climate issues by Greek and German trainers who already had significant experience from similar programs.
  • 20 trainers then trained 200 teachers, of whom 197 took an active role in their school. In total 72 primary, secondary and high schools have supported their students in this program and posted the necessary ‘’testimonies’’ on a digital platform called ‘’moodle’. This platform will be accessible to all members of the educational community who want to implement similar actions in the future.
  • The educational community was supported for the entire school year 2018-2019, with methodological, educational information and tools. In addition, ‘’energy suitcases/ tool boxes’’ have been given to them in order to apply the knowledge they gained in practice. More specifically, these “energy suitcases” included tools of measurement, observation and experimentation, thus combining different tools of environmental /climate education.
  • The students were informed, sensitized and turned into active researchers, surprising all the participants for their commitment and interest. Their work was captured on both posters and rich material posted on the digital platform moodle.
  • The students, teachers and school unit participated in a relevant research that evaluated the implementation and catered, with good practices and suggestions, the program’s final action plan for interventions in the school.
  • Last but not least, the project was a useful tool for intercultural education and inclusion of all the pupils, greeks and the ones with migrant and refugee backgroud, offering different roles and tasks to all the pupils based on their interest, skills and capacities, enchance the community building approach.

The imprint of the program not only in the educational but also in the wider community, constituted a legacy for future actions and programs:

  • A website with all the necessary information and educational materials that are generally useful for the program (http://athensecoschools.gr).
  • An educational guide on energy saving and climate change was a part of for students training.
  • A well-organized action plan for the Municipality of Athens usable in all its schools.
  • A research for the application of the program in schools.
  • 200 trained teachers of Athens schools in matters of climate change and energy saving, with training lasting 24 hours.
  • 72 pilot programs that have implemented this program and are willing to continue.
  • Posters that capture their work (e-book of school posters, https://cutt.ly/XrlgDxY )
  • 15 educational suitcases with needed equipment borrowed from schools, in order to measure energy, brightness etc.
  • A digital moodle platform on which all participating schools posted their work. In the future, this platform will be maintained and enriched by the work of other schools (http://athensecoschools.gr/moodle/).
  • Applying telematic systems in 5 pilot schools allowing remote or local energy management (an additional energy and money saving measure)

The 5 smart pilot schools of the Municipality of Athens are the first in Greece with artificial intelligence, providing the opportunity to:

  • Record the energy consumption from electrical appliances and lighting fixtures.
  • Secure and protect electrical appliances from high electrical load.
  • Manage energy based on an ecological perspective.
  • Provide security and comfort to teachers and students.

This program ‘’Schools Open to Climate Protection and Energy Saving, Athens-Berlin’’, evaluated and selected for funding by the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) which is a funding implement of the German Ministry of the Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMUB). While it is also under the auspices of the Hellenic Ministry of Education, Research and Religions.

The details of the project implementing bodies:

Municipality of Athens, http://athensecoschools.gr/

Social Cooperative Enterprise ‘’Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal’’, www.anemosananeosis.gr

German Citizens’ Initiative ‘’Respect fur Greece’’ e.V., http://xn--respekt-fr-griechenland-kpc.de/

Independent Institute for Environmental Issues ‘’UnabhangigesInstitut fur Umweltfragen’’, http://www.ufu.de/

What is the European Climate Initiative (EUKI)

The European Climate Initiative (EUKI), reinforces the cooperation in a European level and aims to increase knowledge and awareness about the causes of climate change, as well as the ecological, economic and social opportunities linked to climate action. The German Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) established the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) to cooperate even closer in the development and implementation of EU climate policy. Through EUKI, climate actors can learn from each other; the initiative supports inner-European dialogue, the exchange of good practice, awareness raising, and knowledge transfer.

 

EU Memorandum of Split: long-term structure for supporting EU Islands in their transition to clean energy

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On 24.06.2020 the European Commission together with 14 Member States (Croatia, Cyprus, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Spain, and Sweden), signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) (the Memorandum of Split) to ensure the future of the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative.  The Memorandum of Split was announced the same day during a press conference of the Croatian Presidency, who has worked with all signing parties over the last months to finalise this document. A specific priority of the Croatian Presidency was reinforcing the support to clean energy islands.

EU islands, where 15 million citizens live, have the potential to be frontrunners in the clean energy transition by adopting new technologies and implementing innovative solutions.

What does this mean for the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative?

The MoU ensures the establishment of a long-term structure for supporting EU islands in their energy transition. Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson highlighted in her statement that this Memorandum is an example of great cooperation among EU Member States. During the press conference, Croatian Minister of Environment Tomislav ĆORIĆ outlined the objectives of the initiative moving forward, namely

  • The Memorandum of Split will firstly give the needed support to islands in preparation of their transition agendas while promoting the participation, the engagement and empowerment of citizens. In addition, the structured cooperation will facilitate the creation of energy communities on islands.
  • The Memorandum of Split has also recognized the importance of the implementation of pilot projects aimed at increasing the use of renewables using storage systems, innovative technologies, developing clean and sustainable transport, sector integration by integrating the electricity system with other sectors such as heating, cooling, island water systems and with the scalable demand response on the islands.
  • We should not forget where everything started from, and that is the connection problems. Therefore, the Memorandum of Split recognized the necessary support to islands not connected to the national grid in their decarbonisation process through the increased use of renewables in final use of electricity and of transport, heating and cooling.
  • In the end, since sharing means caring, the special emphasize in the Memorandum of Split was given to the promotion and exchange of best practices because dissemination of lessons learned can only make a Europe stronger in a world of challenges.

Why the Memorandum of Split?

The Memorandum of Split is a continuation of many years of efforts by the EU islands community to advance the energy transition in their territories.

  • In May 2017 the European Commission, together with 14 Member States, had signed the “Political Declaration on Clean Energy For EU Islands” under the Maltese Presidency. This declaration (Valletta Declaration) was born out of the recognition that islands and island regions face a particular set of energy challenges and opportunities due to their specific geographic and climatic conditions. The opportunities have the potential to make Europe’s island communities innovation leaders in the clean energy transition for Europe and beyond – a fact the European Commission explicitly recognised in its Communication on “Clean Energy for All Europeans“, reassuring its commitment to ensure that the energy concerns of island inhabitants are at the forefront of the energy transition and related policy developments.
  • In cooperation with the European Parliament, the Commission in 2018 set up a Secretariat to deliver the objectives of the Clean Energy for EU Islands Initiative.
  • Over the last two years, the Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat has been supporting islands all across the EU in developing Clean Energy Transition Agendas, providing in-person and online capacity-building trainings as well as project-specific support to island communities, and supporting community building at from the local to the pan-European level.

The Memorandum of Split hence represents a continuation of the work done jointly by all members of the EU islands communities over the last years, which is now also enshrined in the EU Green Deal.

A new Wind of Renewal’s intercultural course: COLLAGE – THERAPY for women

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COLLAGE – THERAPY for women

Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal starts in its innovative WELCOMMON HOSTEL a new inclusive and intercultural course for women open to all (locals, refugees, migrants, volunteers) from September on:

Collage – therapy for women!
Let’s do some whimsical art without prerequisites!
It’s just imagination, to mix ideas and create something new and expressive!

Starting –
September, 1 (on Tuesdays)
15:00h – 16:30h

Starting –
September, 2 ( on Wednesdays)
15:00h – 16:30h”

The courses are open to women and girls from 14 years old.
Each group will consist of 5 persons and has to implement the health protocols for protection against COVID -19.

Fatima, our volunteer, who will coordinate the courses is an illustrator from Brazil and Portugal, who graduated in Fashion Design and has experience as an illustration teacher. You can see here part of her art work: Ventapane

Registration
– by email to: windofrenewal@gmail.com,
– sending a message to www.facebook.com/daysofwelcommon
or
at the WELCOMMON HOSTEL daily on 14.00.

Intercultural and inclusive courses open for all

Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal reorganised and started new volunteering projects in our innovative WELCOMMON HOSTEL, which are more inclusive and offer intercultural courses for all: refugees, locals, migrants, volunteers, tourists. “Learn and teach”, is our new moto.

The projects are realized with the participation and contribution of volunteers from all over the world. Since 2016, Anemos Ananeosis has collaborated with more than 320 volunteers, 30 NGOs and many universities.

Until COVID-19 and the lockdown we were offering a great selection of educational courses: language lessons (English, French, Chinese, Turkish etc), painting, photography, drama, music etc and we offered the opportunity to volunteers and our guests/visitors to organize in collaboration with Anemos Ananeosis / Wind of Renewal and the WELCOMMON HOSTEL many intercultural events “knowing better each other like (Greek, USA, Italian, Indian, Ukraine, Pakistan, Scandinavian, Chinese, French… Nights). There are people from all over the world they would like to know better other cultures.

We continue our intercultural courses implementing the health protocols for COVID-19. The measures has an impact on our volunteering work but we try to do our best in the new period, to show solidarity in a period of social distancing. At the memont we offer language lessons and collage-therapy.

Our moto is: “Be a teacher and at the same time a pupil. We learn from each other”.

About us

ANEMOΣ ΑΝΑNEΩΣΗΣ / WIND of RENEWAL is a social cooperative for social – green economy and innovation, empowerment and social inclusion www.anemosananeosis.gr, 2103803959, 2103810646

WELCOMMON HOSTEL, is our innovative hostel with social and green impact,  www.welcommonhostel.gr
www.facebook.com/welcommonhostel

#cooperatives #socEnt #socialinclusion #empowerment #withrefugees #WindofRenewal #WelcommonHostel #art #volunteers #ErasmusPlus #EuropeanSolidarityCorps #GreenSocialInnovationESC Ventapane Social Cooperatives