Currently, the whole world, including Slovakia, has to withstand many global threats with a local impact. The biggest, most complicated and most urgent of them, which we have to face now, and we will face even more in the future, is climate change. The wrongdoing in this area, which we see especially in Slovakia, directly endangers the health of the population, their quality of life, including the quality of the natural environment, economic interests and leads to a deterioration of the social situation.

The long-term goal of the Karpathian Development Institute (KDI) is to monitor, influence and shape national, regional and local climate policies in the Slovak Republic and emphasize the most vulnerable groups who are the lead victims of climate change as well as those who pay the highest price for combating climate change. The KDI aims to significantly increase the voice of civil society in the fight against the climate crisis. The project aims to strengthen the KDI as a Slovak specialized non-governmental professional centre for climate change. At the same time, the intention of the project is for the KDI to be able to network other third sector organizations, to create a common position on the topic and to be able to play a fundamental role in the process of finding correct solutions as equal partners of public administration at all levels. The organization will also work on its effective communication of information on this topic to target groups; maintain dialogue, provide expert advice in the fight against climate ignorance.

The role of the partner, the Norwegian Institute for Urban and Regional Research – Oslo Metropolitan University, is researching the functioning of think-tank climate organizations in Norway, cooperating in the preparation and organization of the study trip of KDI experts to Norway, etc.

Summary of bilateral results

The partner was involved in the creation and content of the campaigns through an online coordination meeting and the development of a study on a socially just response to climate change from the Norwegian environment, as well as a presentation on the topic of communicating the climate crisis to the public at the final workshop. In addition, the partner also ensured the exchange of knowledge and experience in related areas of professional practice during the study trip of KRI employees to Norway. The study of the partner for the campaign showed diametrically different challenges and obstacles to a socially just response to climate change compared to Slovakia (emphasis on the area of ​​mitigation, smaller social inequalities in society), therefore in the end the information provided was not included in the content of the campaigns themselves (also due to the narrowing of the focus adaptation research), however, they represent valuable knowledge for us. The contribution of the partner at the final workshop focused on the example of the issue of the continuation of oil and natural gas extraction in the territory of Norway and approached the contradictory attitude of the public, as well as experiences and findings regarding different ways and tools of communication with the public in this matter. The cooperation brought primarily the exchange of knowledge and experience, building the capacity of KRI employees, but also representatives of civil society organizations who participated in the workshop. The partner expressed satisfaction with the cooperation on the project and is open to other joint projects.

Project details

Project info
Period
2014-2021
Approval date
Grant financing
90174.00€
Final project cost
91385.03€