In 2008 the British Council will launch the European element of its global climate programme; Challenge Europe. The Challenge is a three year campaign that aspires to make a definite and lasting impact on the climate change debate, and is ambitious in its aim to accelerate change to a Low Carbon Future.

In each of 15 countries 15-20 young influencers, aged 18-35, will work together as ‘Climate Advocates’ to unearth new ways to reduce carbon use or utilise methods already found but not yet properly exploited. Each group offers a broad representation of skills, attitudes and ideas from all walks of life, working across disciplines to seek, gather, develop and then refine scores of ideas to agree just three concrete concepts. These concepts, they believe, will have real potential to bring about a Low Carbon Future through changes to law, business practice or human behaviour. The outcome: a network of 200+ bold, young influencers working together to develop 42 concrete, tangible ideas.

The groups will pitch these ideas to broader publics, including eminent experts, philanthropists, commercial organisations and entrepreneurs across a range of fields in an effort to make the ideas become reality.

Challenge Europe aims to take strides towards addressing the most urgent global challenge we face today; climate change. It offers this generation the opportunity to focus valuable time and invaluable talents to find real answers to address the crisis.

Throughout the programme, the British Council will actively partner with a number of organisations across Europe spanning all sectors; including the corporate, non-governmental, environmental and academic worlds. Through these partnerships, the British Council will support these young Europeans on their quest, offering them access to some of the best minds in Europe through established networks of expert groups and individuals: climate change experts, policy makers, business people, entrepreneurs, environmental groups, and centres of excellence.   

They will delve in to current knowledge, merge new thinking with old and formulate concepts that will fundamentally change the way we use carbon. Their ideas could address how individuals make a real difference, how businesses put low carbon initiatives in to practice – absolutely anything that will accelerate change to a Low Carbon Future.

The philosophy of the campaign is simple: to create momentum through collaboration, innovation, energy, drive, passion, understanding and knowledge-sharing.

In 2008, Challenge Europe will be taking place in 15 countries across Europe: Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, UK, Ukraine.

For more information contact Liz McBain, North South Projects Manager, or Beth Edgell, Project Delivery Officer.