Climate change, increasing consumption of resources and waste problems threaten nature and society in the Alps. With the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the Alpine states set themselves the goal of making global development socially, ecologically and economically sustainable by 2030. The project Alps2030 makes a contribution to the implementation of the SDGs at the local level and to raise awareness about them. In order to enable sustainable development, we need to work together, exchange initiatives, empower young people, strenghten pan-Alpine cooperation and develop a backpack full of ideas so that social and also economic practices change. The objective of Alps2030 is to promote exchange across the Alpine arc and to promote youth participation in municipalities and to empower young people. Young people in particular are the key to a sustainable future: They are the citizens and politicians of tomorrow. Participation and empowerment often begins on a small scale: By implementing their own projects in their municipalities, young people learn that they are able to turn ideas into reality and initiate change. It is particularly important to include the life worlds of young people. For that reason the project partners from Liechtenstein decided to focus on the question, how events, for example music festivals, can be organized in a more sustainable way. By organising sustainable events, the youth groups are given the opportunity to experiment with sustainable lifestyles and to develop solutions to environmental problems themselves. This increases also their environmental awareness. The other partner will develop activities in their municipalities similiar activites to that and linked to the SDG in the beginning of the project. Target groups of Alps2030 are municipalities and decision makers at local level, young people between 13 and 25 years, and also the broader public. There is great potential, especially at local level, to involve young people to a greater extent and to give them scope to shape their own future in the Alps. Through Alps2030 we will pursue the following results and outcomes: Each municipality youth group implements a local project relevant to them and linked to the topic of sustainable events. The learnings will be summarized into a green guide. Youth participation will be strengthened in the participating municipalities beyond the project. The foundations for a strategic youth participation and climate protection network for the Alpine community are being further developed. The awareness about the SDGs will be raised. International meetings foster transnational cooperation and awareness of other cultures. The pursuing of a common goal emphasizes commonalities and strengthens cohesion and solidarity with people from different countries. The project will take 24 months and is scheduled to take part between autumn 2020 and winter 2022.The project is of cross-border nature, as several countries and regions inside and outside the Alps are involved. After all, climate change is a global challenge that must be tackled transnationally.
Objective 1: promote (youth) exchange across the Alpine arc about sustainable development and youth participation: We wanted to foster transnational cooperation, what is imporant to solve global challenges. Objective 2: promote youth participation in municipalities and to empower young people: Give young people a change and the skills to be active in their community, push and empower local communites to enable youth participation. Objective 3: strengthen the role and importance of young people in political decision-making processes. Through the project youth groups learned how to take decisions within their group, how to present in front of politicians, how to accept what is possible for the moment and what is not. Through the participation in this Erasmus+ project they stepped out of their role (pupil, daughter, son…), they were a representative of a group that works toward something, they had to present their ideas, maybe fight for them, had to make sure that they got taken seriously. With their engagement they could shape their life world but also the future of the Alps.On the transnationl meetings we promoted youth participation on various political levels.
Climate change, increasing consumption of resources and waste problems threaten nature and society in the Alps. With the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) the Alpine states set themselves the goal of making global development socially, ecologically and economically sustainable by 2030. The project Alps2030 contributed to the implementation of the SDG’s at the local level. The addressed needs were the ones to foster awareness and availability to change, especially among young people between 13 and 25. Instead of being afraid and “don’t know what to do” we set up a program that gave young people an opportunity to experiment with sustainable lifestyles and to develop solutions to environmental problems. Together with the project partners, the young people could turn their ideas into reality and initiate change.