The first training for high school students in Slovakia was held on 9th May 2023 and the second on 14th September 2023 at Spojená škola Slančíkovej 2 in Nitra by the Association of Agrarian and Environmental Lawyers (AAEL). The trainings were attended by 305 students from Stredná športová škola, Hotelová akadémia, Stredná priemyselná škola potravinárska and Gymnázium aged 18 and 19. The topic of both trainings was “The Effect of Human Activities on the Planet Earth”. During a 1-day events lecturers provided overall overview of the issue, legislation and current problems and they focused on details of ecological footprint, waste management, negative impacts of industry sectors on the environment; linear economy, circular economy and bioeconomy and European Union’s position as a world leader in the battle against climate change. The introduction to the topic was more theoretical in order to provide general information and overview to all students. The second part of the training was focused on practical workshops, brainstorming, best practices, and discussions. Lecturers prepared several practical examples and educational games and students actively discussed in groups and tried to find best solutions for climate changes problems.
Objectives of the trainings:
Trainings, through their structured approach, content, and methodology, aimed to achieve the following objectives:
- Equip young individuals with legal tools and knowledge to effectively advocate for stronger climate action from local and national governments.
- Increase awareness about the limitations of climate change litigation in the absence of judicial independence from executive power.
- Encourage reflection and active engagement among young citizens and their communities in discussions and initiatives related to climate and environmental issues.
- Foster the participation of citizens and representative associations in democratic and civic life to support and advance environmental sustainability and climate action.
Topics and methodology:
Both training sessions had the same title, content, and methodology: “The Effect of Human Activities on the Planet Earth.” Since the participants of each training were different, the lecturers wanted to offer the same topics and content to both groups of students.
The discussed issue “The effect of human activities on the planet Earth” was divided into several parts: ecological footprint; waste management; negative impacts of industry sectors on the environment; linear economy, circular economy and bioeconomy; European Union’s position as a world leader in the battle against climate change, and information on climate change litigation. The students were provided with basic information, which was supplemented with concrete examples in practice, practical tasks, discussions and educational games. A specific part of the workshops was focused on legal tools which can help to put pressure on the governments to take more decisive measures to improve the climate. At the end of the events, students and lecturers summarized the key points of the arguments and discussed what direction the Slovak climate policy should develop to mitigate the climate situation in Slovakia and EU countries.
Conclusion:
AAEL conducted a brainstorming session with its members, potential lecturers, and selected directors of high schools before starting to organize the training sessions for high school students. Following this initial planning stage, AAEL decided to organize two separate training sessions and began promoting them at various high schools. Students applied directly through their respective schools.
During this period, lecturers prepared their training materials, which included presentations aimed at introducing young people to the topic. Considering that participants had varying levels of knowledge on the subject, the lecturers chose to present the topic in a general manner before focusing on specific issues. Additionally, they prepared materials for the second part of the training, which involved discussions, educational games, brainstorming sessions, and role-playing activities.
During the events, participants demonstrated a keen interest in climate issues and ways to mitigate them. Discussions revealed that young people are interested in taking action at the local level to combat climate problems. Another key finding was that the participants lacked sufficient and comprehensive information on the topic and expressed a strong desire to attend more events like these.
Links to events: https://aaep.uniag.sk/en/content/presentations-students-secondary-schools-frame-agit-project