Discussions and Actions on Climate and the Environment
A new initiative called Discussions and Actions on Climate and the Environment (DACE) will promote climate justice across Europe. Six legal environmental NGOs from Austria, Bulgaria, Estonia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Spain joined forces under the umbrella organisation Justice and Environment (J&E) to focus on climate rights and climate law.
J&E members often serve as environmental law focal points in their countries, handling cases, participating in legislative processes and providing legal analyses and consultations for national governments and civil society groups alike. This makes it possible for them to bring more climate cases to different national fora and/or courts and to the European Commission.
The purpose of the DACE initiative is to raise people’s awareness of climate rights and existing climate change policies (with a focus on adaptation) in order to support their access to justice and participation in government decision-making that affects them. Eventually, the activities can lay ground for climate rights litigation and connect citizens to lawyers who can protect their rights. The project supports the climate goals of the European Green Deal and the EU Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change.
To achieve these goals, project partners will:
a) Conduct public opinion polls and surveys to uncover the public perception of the issue
b) Organise national events aimed at environmentally conscious citizens, environmental NGOs and other stakeholders (e.g. local communities affected by environmental problems, students, journalists) to discuss climate change adaptation questions and climate rights issues.
c) Organise a final closing event to share their findings and knowledge with national stakeholders and the EU Commission. The parters will also formulate a standpoint and communicate it to EU decision-makers. The project will thus influence EU and national climate change adaptation policies.
Coordinator: Polina Slavcheva, 257 Slivnitsa Blvd., fl. 3, 1202 Sofia. Telephone: +359 886 874 100; E-mail: polina [at] bluelink [dot] net.
Website: www.bluelink.net/en
Facebook: www.facebook.com/bluelink.net
The initiative Discussions and Actions on Climate and Environment is funded by the European Union and coordinated by J&E in partnership with the International Institute for Law and the Environment (IIDMA, Spain), BlueLink Foundation (Bulgaria), The Alliance of the Austrian Environmental Movement (ÖKOBÜRO, Austria), the Environmental Management and Law Association (EMLA, Hungary), the Legal Center for Human Rights Protection (PIC, Slovenia), and the Estonian Environmental Law Centre (EELC, Estonia).
All views and opinions expressed are the authors’ only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union (EU) or of the granting authority – the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the EU nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
