Launch of Three Presidencies for Climate: Think European – Act Local

High-ranking representatives of the environment ministries from Germany, Slovenia and Portugal launch the new Three4Climate project as part of a virtual kick-off event.

The start of the German EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2020 also represents the launch of the project Three4Climate, which supports the rotating presidencies of the Council of the European Union. Along with the two subsequent presidencies – Portugal (first half of 2021) and Slovenia (second half of 2021) – the German government is promoting trilateral climate protection activities in cooperation with the EU and national and local actors. The focus: ambitious climate action in cities and schools and collaboration among all stakeholders – both horizontally (between countries) and vertically (from the local to the EU level).

Climate protection in practice

The project creates a platform for local, national and European decision-makers to connect and discuss important elements of climate action, find mutual interests and work towards a common understanding of the challenges of a carbon-neutral future and potential solutions. The trio, as a form of EU integration, is to be made accessible at the local level. “The work of the Presidency should be extended to schoolchildren and citizens and the cooperation of our three Member States on climate protection should be experienced in practice,” said Jochen Flasbarth, State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).

Think European, Act Local

The following cities are working together and including schools in the process: Bielefeld and Radolfzell (Germany), Braga and Loulé (Portugal) as well as Maribor and Kranj. Their collaboration is meant to go beyond the national level and enable them to learn from each other. The goal is not only to anchor EU climate protection in politics, but also implement it locally and learn from that implementation. The project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) run by the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU).