Call for participants | Geoengineering – A climate of uncertainty?

Are you passionate about climate action and technology? Do you want to have a long term impact on climate policies and contribute to research on youth priorities for climate action? Now is your chance! We are looking for participants to join a series of online workshops about geoengineering. Apply now and learn about the potential and risks associated with engineering the Earth’s climate, build networks with other young people in Europe and collaborate on a policy paper which foreground youth priorities.

As the impacts of the climate emergency become more severe and the timeline for action more restricted, more radical solutions – large-scale intervention in Earth’s climate – are being proposed. These geoengineering solutions include the large-scale removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and the use of aerosols and mirrors to reflect radiation into space.  

Geoengineering is at a sufficiently early stage that the needs and interests of different groups of people in different parts of the world can be recognised, and mechanisms built into decision-making to ensure that outcomes are distributed fairly.  We believe that it is important to ensure that policy-makers have an understanding of youth priorities.   That’s why YEE in cooperation with the University of York, King’s College London, University of Antwerp, University of Regina and Federal Center for Technological Education of Rio de Janeiro are bringing you the “Geoengineering – A climate of uncertainty?” project.  

Together with scientists, we will facilitate a series of four online workshops focusing on geoengineering and exploring the four key elements behind it– science, ethics, politics and society. The project aims to develop the capacity of young people to respond to proposed technological innovations and understand youth perceptions of the implications of geoengineering for climate and intergenerational justice. Read more about the project here.

We are looking for young people aged 18-25 to take part in a series of 4 weekend workshops on the science, ethics and politics of geoengineering.  The workshops will take place on 24th and 25th April and 8th and 9th May 2021. 

During the workshops, you will research geoengineering methods, share your ideas with other young people and social scientists, identify social, political and ethical questions that need to be answered and create an open-access guide to geoengineering with policy recommendations, which will be used with teachers and students and to generate discussion about where geoengineering fits – or not – with climate justice.

What can you expect?

During the workshops, we will train various competencies that are needed to generate informed public and policy focused discussion about technological solutions to the climate crisis.  The workshops will include interactive sessions during which you will:

• Develop research literacy, with particular attention to how framing can be used to shape attitudes, and the identification, deconstruction and evaluation of claims.
• Create and explore ethical, social and political questions connecting technology, society and the climate emergency.
• Have the opportunity to network and learn with and from young people from different places.
• Learn how to use tools for futures thinking in order to identify and justify policy and practice priorities, and identify ways of intervening in decision-making processes.    
• Co-produce outputs from the workshop in a range of formats – video, infographic, teaching resource, policy paper.  
• Gain competences and skills needed to communicate with a range of stakeholders about technology, society and the climate crisis.
• Receive YEE Certificate, improve your CV and build new professional connections! 

Who are we looking for? 

We welcome applications from those who are interested in the topic, are motivated to learn and share knowledge with an international group of young people, and who are willing to commit to 4 online weekend workshops. The criteria for applying are the following:

• Be between 18 and 25 years old, residing in the continent of Europe. 
• Have good communication skills and speak English very well (you should be able to clearly express yourself both orally and in writing);
• Be interested in the topics of the training course: environmental issues, sustainability, technology, vision building, and political lobbying;
• Be willing to support the rest of the group and be a team player;
• Be able and motivated to attend all workshops and take part in the activities and tasks specified below (“Important Info”);
• Have the motivation to take back the learning experience to your home organisations and/or communities;
• Be committed to the aims of the project and YEE values!

How to apply? 

Interested candidates should submit the online application which you can find HERE.

Deadline for applications: 16 April 2021 (23:59 CET).

You will be informed about the results of the selection within one week after the deadline. If you have any questions feel free to contact our Project & Communications Manager Karolina at karolina@yeenet.eu

We are looking forward to receiving your applications! Good Luck! 

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Important Info

1. The workshops will take place online via Zoom during the weekends of 24th and 25th April and 8th and 9th May, from 10:00 to 15:00 CET.  
2. We strive for an active, inclusive program that includes direct communication and a sharing of knowledge. The online sessions will use online interactive tools and require active oral and written participation.
3. By submitting the online application form you undertake an agreement to participate in the whole programme of the “Geoengineering – A climate of uncertainty?” project, meaning every session during the full 4 days. 
4. By submitting your application, you consent to the team recording short segments of the workshops in order to analyse and report for research purposes.  You would not be identified or identifiable from the analysis.  For more information see here. 
5. By submitting the online application form you agree to respect the YEE Code of Conduct for online learning and agree that you have read the information sheet and information about GDPR.