Fifty young scientists and young leaders from Bangladesh, Switzerland, the UK and the United States, met in Switzerland between 20-25 November to discuss the impact of climate change on the cities we live in and what we can do about it.

During the first three days, a group of researchers and policy makers worked together in the Swiss countryside at the Möschberg seminar centre outside Bern. Their task was to summarise the state of the art in climate research and to learn how to get the science message across to wider audiences. Nick Higham, the BBC news correspondent and Raymond Saner, the Swiss communications expert, led the communication skills training and facilitated the workshop with Christoph Ritz and Esther Thalmann from ProClim and Caroline Morrissey from the British Council. The group also had the opportunity to meet with and hear presentations from leading practitioners.

After this period of very intensive work the group came to Bern to join a wider gathering of young leaders in business, politics and civil society from the UK and Switzerland. Their first job was to share their interim conclusions to this new team, and then to work with them to develop presentations which would be made during a high profile event at the Stade de Suisse (Bern's striking ultra-modern sports stadium and conference centre which has a large solar power station built into the roof).

The five presentations focused on the impact of climate change on four major cities Bern, Chittagong, London and Los Angeles and presented a set of conclusions and an agenda for action. The final position of the workshop was brought together in a manifesto on climate change.  

The manifesto is a resource which we can all draw on and which the British Council will disseminate as widely as possible in the coming months. But what did the participants get out of the process?

For many, the greatest benefit was gaining a better understanding of how to work effectively within a very varied group of specialists. As one of the participants put it:

“I suppose for me the main learning point has been to do with reaching consensus in group decision making and taking on board other people’s points of view  but at the same time making sure that we’re all moving forward.” (Workshop participant UK)

Along side this increase in awareness, came the realisation that if you have a room full of people who are leaders in their own fields, you have to learn to stand back and listen so that you can learn from others:

“It was the first time I’ve had the opportunity to have this kind of discussion with people who come from a business or law background… and as a personal learning point, I had to stand back and just listen to people and just not be the leader all the time.” (Workshop participant Switzerland)

And it wasn't just talk. Participants now feel able to return to their own countries and to begin to communicate with audiences outside the ivory tower of the academy:

“I got to know a lot of young scientists from different parts of the world… but when I go back I want to run some workshops for our people so that they have a better understanding of the impact of climate change on their lives and so that they can know what they can do about it.” (Workshop participant, Bangladesh)

When they do this, they will also have learned the golden rule of communicating complex ideas and conclusions to non-specialist audiences:

“Keep it simple, keep it simple, keep it simple”. (Workshop participant, Switzerland, quoting Nick Higham, BBC)

… and never patronise the people you are talking to.  After all,

“If it’s not important to the people it’s not going to be important to the politicians”. (Workshop participant US)

As a culmination of their week-long cooperation the young scientists and leaders came up with a Manifesto. In it they call for immediate action to counter-act the impact of climate change on our societies.

Download the Manifesto as PDF

Download the Press release in English and German

The final publication including reports on the event, scientific background, photos, poems and, of course, the manifesto is now out. Please contact us if you would like a copy.

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