The Road to Green 10: Discover grassroots environmentalism in Austria and Berlin

Last month, Euronews travelled to Catalonia to interview young climate and environmental campaigners on the issues they care about. This journey into citizen activism across Europe continues in episode 10 in Austria and Germany, with Euronews visiting inspiring projects to show that big changes start small. Many Europeans have taken action to address the climate and nature crises across the globe as part of the EU’s #ForOurPlanet campaign.

This episode begins in Austria with European Climate Pact ambassador Dima Bass. Dima and Euronews join teenagers taking part in a clean-up challenge, launched by 23-year-old Felix Krainer. His TikTok, Planetmatters, has over 3 million followers and brings together a community of people who clean streets, beaches and forests around the world.

Euronews then takes us to the EggenLend Community Centre. This neighborhood association takes care of a Free-of-Charge shop run by volunteers, that promotes cycling, food-sharing and zero-waste initiatives.

Euronews travels to Germany, where Katharina Kerbstat explains why she became a European Climate Pact ambassador. She gives workshops on nature conservation and is organising a festival on biodiversity. Committed residents have been greening the Fritschestrasse neighbourhood since 2017 and show Euronews how they are bringing nature back into their city.

In Berlin’s Grunewald Forest, volunteers are on a mission to help animals, especially toads, thrive in their natural habitat.

Watch the full episode

Background

#ForOurPlanet is an EU campaign to address the climate and nature crises across the globe.   

Together with EU Delegations and Representations, the Commission aims to encourage all citizens and civil society to take action #ForOurPlanet. From planting trees to restoring wetlands, or just bringing nature to your house, roof or garden. Every action counts!  

Want to take it a step further? Register your newly planted trees and contribute to the EU’s 3 billion trees pledge.  

#ForOurPlanet was organised for the first time in autumn 2022, in the context of the United Nations negotiations on climate change (COP27, Sharm El Sheikh) and the first-ever global biodiversity agreement (COP15, Montreal). More than 70 actions were taken by Representations and Delegations in only a few months, expressing large scale support for ambitious action at those negotiations.  

The world has changed since then, but taking action to address the triple climate, biodiversity and pollution crises has never been more urgent. With #ForOurPlanet, the organisers invite everyone to take a small step, leading to big change. It's time to act, not just talk, and bring nature back into our lives.

Watch previous episodes from 'The Road to Green' 

Disclaimer

DG ENV co-finances the production of the Road to Green, while Euronews retains full editorial independence. Views and opinions expressed in the programme are solely those of the speakers and do not necessarily represent the views and opinions of the European Commission or any other entities.