In 2008 the British Council launched the European element of its global climate programme; Challenge Europe. The Challenge Europe project is a three year project 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 February 2010 we are starting with second year of the project that will be taking place in 17 countries across Europe: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, UK and Ukraine.

In each of the participating countries we will select 15-20 young influencers from all walks of life to become ‘Climate Advocates’. Over the year each country team will work collaboratively to identify the key areas where they think they can make a real difference and to develop three concrete ideas to reduce green house effect gasses.  

The groups will then pitch their ideas to broader publics, specifically reaching out to decision-makers and organisations, campaigning for implementation and support in an effort to make the ideas become reality.

Throughout the programme, we are actively partnering with a number of organisations across Europe spanning all sectors; including the corporate, non-governmental, environmental and academic worlds. Through these partnerships, we will support the Climate Advocates in 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.   

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

If you are interested in our project and would like to become a Climate Advocate in Slovenia then please fill in the application form and send it to recruitment@britishcouncil.si  till March 31, 2010.

Further information can be found at http://challengeeurope.britishcouncil.org