Ve dnech 18.–20. května 2026 proběhla v Praze druhá fáze mezinárodního Climate Justice Think Tanku, která spojila zástupce mládežnických organizací, výzkumných institucí a evropských sítí zaměřených na klima, inkluzi a participaci mladých lidí.

Spolek Zaedno spolupracoval na organizaci pražského setkání Think Tanku a předsedkyně spolku Sevda Kovářová se jednání osobně zúčastnila. Setkání hostilo Zastoupení Evropské komise v České republice.

Climate Justice Think Tank convenes in Prague

Advancing cooperation between inclusion, youth participation and climate action

From 18 to 20 May 2026, the second phase of the Climate Justice Think Tank was held in Prague, bringing together 16 representatives of youth organisations, research institutions, and European networks. The meeting took place at the European Commission Representation in the Czech Republic, providing an institutional setting for dialogue between practice, policy, and programme implementation

Continuation in English

Think Tank koordinuje SALTO Inclusion and Diversity Resource Centre v rámci programů Erasmus+ a Evropský sbor solidarity. Hlavním cílem iniciativy je propojit témata klimatické spravedlnosti, sociální inkluze a práce s mládeží a podpořit vznik nových evropských partnerství a společných aktivit.

Účastníci během programu diskutovali například o možnostech spolupráce mezi organizacemi, zapojování mladých lidí do klimatických aktivit, dostupnější komunikaci nebo vytváření nových vzdělávacích nástrojů pro youth work.

Vybraní účastníci setkání navštívili také Dům národnostních menšin v Praze, kde se seznámili s jeho fungováním, aktivitami a cíli. V rámci návštěvy si prohlédli bulharské kanceláře, galerii DNM, kde právě probíhalo zahájení výstavy Umění budoucnosti, i hlavní sál DNM, ve kterém se právě konaly bulharské tance pro začátečníky.

Součástí další spolupráce bude mimo jiné příprava semináře o klimatické spravedlnosti pro pracovníky s mládeží, který se uskuteční na Maltě v roce 2027, a také tvorba sbírky příběhů a metodických materiálů věnovaných tématu climate justice.

The Think Tank is coordinated by the SALTO Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) Resource Centre, which operates within the Erasmus+ and European Solidarity Corps ecosystem.

SALTO I&D supports European cooperation in the youth field by strengthening inclusion and diversity in programme implementation, enhancing access to opportunities for young people with fewer opportunities and facilitating knowledge-sharing, capacity-building, and strategic partnerships across sectors

The Climate Justice Think Tank contributes to these objectives by exploring links between environmental sustainability, youth participation, and social inclusion in youth work.

Climate justice in the context of youth work

Climate justice recognises that climate change has differentiated social impacts and that responses must address both environmental and social dimensions.

It emphasises that:

• climate-related challenges disproportionately affect individuals and communities in vulnerable situations
• effective action requires integrating principles of equity, participation, and human rights
• climate policies and practices should ensure inclusive access and meaningful participation for all young people

Within European youth programmes, climate justice is increasingly understood as a cross-cutting priority that connects environmental sustainability with inclusion, participation, and democratic engagement.

Objectives of the Think Tank

The Think Tank forms part of a wider initiative aimed at strengthening cooperation between the climate and inclusion sectors at European level.

The Prague meeting provided a platform to:

• develop a shared understanding of climate justice within youth work contexts
• exchange practices and experiences across organisations
• identify opportunities for joint initiatives, advocacy, and capacity-building

Participants represented a broad range of organisations working in areas such as youth participation, environmental action, rural development, non-formal education, social inclusion and disability.

Main areas of work

The programme combined plenary sessions with thematic working groups, focusing on the development of concrete outputs and future directions.

Key areas of discussion included:

• strengthening cross-sectoral cooperation between youth, climate, and inclusion actors
• designing joint projects and initiatives
• addressing challenges related to funding frameworks, including the need for more sustainable and flexible support mechanisms
• improving communication approaches, with attention to accessibility, inclusiveness, and clarity of messaging

Participants emphasised the importance of moving from exploratory discussions towards operational actions, including policy contributions, training activities, and dissemination strategies.

Key orientations and emerging priorities

The following orientations were identified as relevant for future work:

• further development of a European network linking climate and inclusion actors
• strengthening the role of youth workers as multipliers of climate justice approaches
• promoting inclusive participation in climate-related activities
• developing practical tools, resources, and guidance for organisations

Attention was also given to communication approaches that support engagement, including the use of story-based and accessible formats tailored to diverse audiences.

Follow-up actions

The Think Tank is part of a multi-phase process that will continue through further activities and cooperation.

Planned follow-up actions include:

• a seminar on climate justice targeting youth workers, to be held in Malta in May 2027
• the development of a collection of climate justice stories to support communication and dissemination 
• continued work through future Think Tank phases and network activities

Conclusion

The Prague meeting demonstrated the added value of structured cooperation between diverse stakeholders working at the intersection of youth, inclusion, and climate action.

By bringing together practitioners, networks, and institutional perspectives in an appropriate policy-oriented setting, the Think Tank contributed to strengthening a shared understanding of climate justice and to identifying concrete pathways for its integration within European youth programmes.