European Youth Alliance For Green Future Project is basically established to answer this question: “How can next decision makers of Europe take action against the environmentally based problems of their local communities?” The background of this question is derived from the two concepts. Firstly, how to accomplish policies that implemented through the new European Green Deal and secondly, what will be the role of the young European citizens on achieving those policies. Science shows us that we can stop global warming but we are running out of time, as the guidance of European Commission, “Green Deal” is the new hope for us to slow down the effects of global warming, decreasing carbon emission, creating new green solutions. From transportation to food sector, industry to taxation, agriculture to infrastructure we must have a new perspective, a green perspective. This green perspective will not only accelerate circular economy but also will help us to protect the biodiversity of Europe. We do not see The Green Deal as only as a necessity, it is also a chance of new economic opportunities. Green Deal will fully change the standards of production, consumption and working conditions . Our main objective is to provide this transformation for every European citizen unless it won’t be real and sustainable. Young citizens will be next decision makers of Europe and their role is vital to accomplish those policies. However, to play their part do young citizens know how to act? Do they know how to use democratic tools properly? Do they know how does a policy implementation process commit? These questions are creating the aim of this project. The sustainable, healthy and operative future depends on the next generations of Europe and its sphere of influence, the next decision makers. Overall objective of the project is increasing next decision makers’ democratic participation capacity, showing civic engagement methods, teaching how to create awareness, how to shape their community, how to be active citizen, how to take responsibilities and how to take part while setting rules and regulations by public authorities and local administrative. With this objective future leaders, executives, workers or ordinary citizens will achieve the ability of being an active member of democratic life. Last but not least, the project’s and Green Deal values are meeting on the same cause here .The youth involvement and youth actions will bring dynamism, determination and self confidence to project under the roof of green solutions. Green Deal aims to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to clean, circular economy. It also targets restore biodiversity and pollution. Which KA-205 prioritizes active citizenship, young people having solid and powerful network. With blending those values in the decision making process is the key point of our project. There will be certain activities related to project’s goals. The activities follow as: 1-The preparation and publication of Green Deal Intellectual Output Handbook as an abstract, an executive summary, main goal behind this is to fully teach the concepts of Green Deal even to an ordinary citizen 2-The trainings of Green Deal concepts and Active Citizenship duties, with these trainings project is aiming to integrate the values of Green Deal to the civic engagement duties. 3-Creation of an ICT tool which link the values of Green Deal to the everyday actions of the young citizens of Europe. The content of this tool will be formed of consequences of everyday actions related to environmental issues such as with this tool every individual can see the effects of preferring bike to a personal car while commuting in short and long term in the means of carbon emission. 4-Lastly, project is expecting from every participant to bring solution methods to their local communities. With the training they have attended, now they become active citizens who have Green Deal mindset. With this mindset and guidance of these training they can bring solution proposals by using democratic tools. These solutions will be presented at multiplier events and will be shared with local authorities during that process. The methodology of the project: -Training and Education -Capacity Improvement -Knowledge Sharing -Public Communications and Relations -Evaluation and Reporting There will be estimated of 100 participants to the project from 4 different countries, Turkey, Belgium, Republic of North Macedonia and Romania.25 people from each country is expected. The profile of these participants, will mainly from young people who want to take responsibility for at their local community. At the end of the project, we are expecting an impact of starting a wave of changement, positively effect participants on environmental problems and have immediate results at the local communities of the participants. Long term results and benefits will occur in time, because of affecting 100 people will justa start of an spark.
The general aim of the project is to increase the democratic participation capacity of young entrepreneurial leaders, who will be the decision makers of the future, and to give them the “EU Green Deal” mentality. The awareness of young people, who are the decision makers of the future, was increased by preparing the Green Deal handbook and ICT Tools, which were prepared within this framework. In addition, the democratic participation capacities of young people and other members of the society were increased with the trainings and activities organized, and different perspectives were gained by enabling them to offer new solutions.
The project basically consisted of 3 steps: 1: Green Deal Training Step: Providing trainings to the participants and project followers to gain the green deal mentality 2: Educational Step of Civic Participation: To train educators to improve the democratic participation capacities of future decision makers. Demonstrating civic engagement methods Teaching to create awareness Teaching how to shape the communities, Teaching the active citizenship Awareness of responsibilities 3: Practical Step With the online ICT Tools tool created within the scope of the project, daily carbon emission usage measurements of the participants and local volunteers were started. As an extension of the Paris Agreement, the Green Deal emerged as a vigorous effort by the European Union to spread environmental concerns across all policy areas. In the infrastructure of this process, there is a carbon footprint. The carbon footprint is the amount of greenhouse gas released by a person, institution, product or industrial facility. In this work, young people's change processes, awareness of the policies created and active public participation were realized. In this respect, the representatives of the public, national/international organizations and the highest level representatives of EU/UN institutions, especially local government representatives, were brought together with the youth in all activities of the project, in order to raise awareness of the Green Deal. In addition, carbon dioxide equivalent measurements of greenhouse gases emitted directly into the atmosphere were carried out with the created ICT Tools tool.