We are not starting from scratch. The European Climate Pact will build on and amplify existing activities, trigger and embrace new ones, offering opportunities for learning, exchange, co-creation and collaboration.

Activities

The European Climate Pact will encourage broad societal engagement on climate and environment through a range of activities.

Talking about climate change

Through communication activities and events, and by using multiple channels and tools, the Pact will raise awareness and build understanding of climate change based on reliable scientific evidence, inspire people and organisations to become involved and encourage sustainable behaviours.

Triggering action

The Pact will encourage people and organisations to commit to concrete actions, designed to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and/or adapt to the inevitable impacts of climate change.

The Commission will promote pledges (public commitments) and support relevant initiatives with knowledge/capacity-building, to boost their impact and inspire further action across Europe and globally.

In selected areas, the Commission could provide targeted support. At the start, these areas could cover:

• buildings, by stimulating advisory services, facilitating smart financing and assisting local authorities for energy efficient housing;

• mobility, by supporting cities and towns with knowledge, raising awareness, and possibly targeted financial support for sustainable urban mobility plans; and

• tree-planting, nature regeneration and greening of urban areas.

Working together

The Pact will provide opportunities for communication, learning and networking, online and offline. It will help to bring together people and organisations to share ideas and experience, and to work together.

Direct citizen consultations could be organised using formats such as citizen dialogues, citizen assemblies, and more. As appropriate, these platforms will link to existing initiatives, such as the Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy or CITIZENV dialogues with young people across Europe.

Open public consultation

The Commission wants to hear your ideas for action under the European Climate Pact and your views on how to make the Pact as effective, inclusive and ambitious as possible.

All submissions to the consultation will be used to shape the final design of the Pact, which will be launched ahead of the UN climate conference in Glasgow (COP26) in November 2020.

The online public consultation is open until 27 May 2020.

More information

Many EU programmes support concrete projects on climate and environment.

Examples from Creative Europe, Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps:

• Factsheet Creative Europe: Food as a Social Force

• Factsheet Erasmus+: Beelieve in Biodiversity

• Factsheet Erasmus+: Food education for a better future

• Factsheet Erasmus+: Greener education for the next generation

• Factsheet Erasmus+: Planting Power!

• Factsheet European Solidarity Corps: Repair Café

• Factsheet European Solidarity Corps: Spherical Research Garden

• Factsheet European Solidarity Corps: Urban ecology

• Factsheet European Solidarity Corps: Wintertide