Competition for schools: Ideas for Europe's green future wanted

EUROPE DIRECT Bocholt draws attention to an initiative of the European Commission Representation in Berlin. We are looking for innovative and creative ideas from pupils for a more sustainable future. The winning projects can win 1000 euros for the implementation of measures at school.

The European Union is on the way to a greener future: children and young people must have a say in how the European Green Deal is organised. What can schoolchildren do specifically to protect the environment? What should we do differently in Europe in the future when it comes to climate protection? The EUROPE DIRECT Centres in Saarbrücken, Ulm, Dresden, Kaiserslautern, Ingelheim, Karlsruhe and the EU Climate Pact, together with the Representation of the European Commission in Germany, are launching the ideas competition "Shaping Europe's Green Future".

Ideas as inspiration for all

The representative of the European Commission in Germany Barbara Gessler said: "Many young people are concerned about the state of our planet and their own future on it. They want to be heard and involved, they want to take responsibility and shape the future. The ideas of this young generation for a greener and healthier future are valuable and can be an inspiration for us all. Also in the youth dialogues that Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to strengthen in her second term of office. I hope that there will be a lot of discussion in classes and schools in the coming months and that many creative competition entries will emerge from this."

Best ideas receive prize money of 1,000 euros

Whether environmentally friendly technologies, waste avoidance projects, renewable energy concepts or awareness-raising initiatives - all proposals relating to the European Green Deal are welcome. The best ideas from pupils will be awarded prize money of 1,000 euros - the initial basis for the subsequent realisation of the winning ideas. You can enter your project online here.

Aims of the competition:

To promote environmental awareness: How can the challenges towards a sustainable future be overcome? What opportunities are there to get actively involved? The focus is on pupils' environmental awareness.

1. Creativity and innovation: When do the best ideas emerge? Developing and presenting creative ideas and innovative solutions is a central concern of the competition.
2. Participation and commitment: The competition aims to enable young people to raise their voices for the future of Europe, get involved and play an active role in shaping the future. Of course, the focus is also on promoting the willingness to learn and achieve and to exchange ideas with each other!
3. Honouring the European Green Deal: Climate neutrality in the EU by 2050 affects us all - and this competition is intended to show that everyone can get involved, show initiative and value climate protection measures.

Tips for your project topic

Climate, transport, energy, agriculture, environment & oceans - all core areas of the European Green Deal welcome creative and innovative projects. A non-exhaustive list of examples includes:

1. Climate: examples include climate student councils, political simulation games & parliamentary debates, climate adaptation through nature-based solutions on school grounds, formation of working groups on the topic of sustainability, climate protection information campaigns for schools.
2. Transport: initiatives relating to bicycles, mobility weeks, carpooling centres for pupils with long journeys to school are conceivable.
3. Energy: Here information campaigns on energy poverty, energy efficiency and saving in school buildings, generation of renewable energies & use during lessons are possible.
4. Agriculture: Examples include initiatives against food waste in school lunches, sustainable food consumption, sustainable school canteens, creating a school garden.
5. Environment & oceans: Possible actions include creating biotopes on the school grounds, reducing air, water and soil pollution, a week of action to avoid waste, unsealing the schoolyard, clean-ups on the school grounds and beyond.

There are no limits to creativity when it comes to ideas and their format. Applications can be submitted until 30 November 2024.

Want to find out more? Contact Dominik Legrum at de(at)euclimatepact(dot)eu.

EUROPE DIRECT Bocholt is delighted about the initiative, which gives pupils the chance to win a considerable amount of money for environmentally friendly measures at their school.

About the EUROPE DIRECT Bocholt

EUROPE DIRECT Bocholt is part of the mayor's office of the city of Bocholt and is the local point of contact for questions relating to the European Union. Its task is to provide local citizens with information, advice, help and answers to questions about Europe. In addition, EUROPE DIRECT Bocholt aims to promote European involvement and provide information on current European political events.