Erasmus+ students for the planet: Climate Manifesto launched in Rome

The initiative "The Erasmus+ Generation for the Earth", a transnational cooperation activity of the Erasmus+ Programme promoted by the Erasmus+ National Agency INDIRE in collaboration with Earth Day Italia, ended in Rome. The event brought together over 130 Erasmus+ university students from all over Europe for a debate on the issues of environmental sustainability and the concrete role of the new generations in tackling the climate emergency and implementing the ecological transition.

The conference, hosted at the Earth Village in view of Earth Day tomorrow, 22 April, alternated institutional moments, scientific contributions and participatory activities. The first day opened with a dialogue session between institutions, experts and students, followed by talks by academics and scientists and collaborative 'Climate Fresk' workshops dedicated to understanding the dynamics of climate change and possible mitigation actions.

The second day was entirely dedicated to the co-design of the "Erasmus+ Generation for the Earth Manifesto". The participants, 70 international students from 20 Erasmus+ National Agencies and 60 students from Italian universities, organised in working groups, elaborated concrete proposals and priorities that were included in the final document, shared and approved in the plenary session. The Manifesto gives an articulated vision to 2050, structured around four main areas: active participation, education and work, Europe's role in the global context and building the future. Central themes include the integration of environmental education into school curricula, the promotion of sustainable cities and circular economic models, the strengthening of binding climate responsibility mechanisms for companies, and the expansion of opportunities for mobility and exchange at the international level with the use of green, environmentally friendly means of transport.

Ample space is also devoted to the relationship between education and skills, with proposals concerning more inclusive and critical thinking-oriented educational models, as well as the world of work, with a focus on fairer, more transparent and more sustainable conditions. Within the European framework, the document calls for common policies on energy, mobility and social cohesion, as well as the strengthening of the democratic dimension and cooperation between member states.

The Manifesto is proposed as a contribution of the Erasmus+ generation to the international climate debate and future European political agendas, with particular reference to upcoming global events; in particular the pathway towards COP31 in November in Antalya, Turkey, with the ambition to give voice to the skills, creativity and civic responsibility of European students in the fight against climate change.