On 5 June 2025, an innovative workshop on the topic of ‘Climate Change & Renaturation’ took place on World Environment Day, organised by Enrico Turci in cooperation with Naturefriends Vienna. The four-hour event was held in the outdoor area of the Naturfreunde Kletterhalle Wien climbing hall and reached around 45 young people aged between 12 and 15 from several secondary school classes.

Objective and core message

The main objective of the workshop was to raise awareness among young people about the complexity of climate change and the importance of taking action at both an individual and collective level. The core message focused on empowering young people and helping them become active and more environmentally conscious citizens. In particular, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) No. 4 (quality education), No. 11 (sustainable cities and communities) and No. 14 (responsible consumption and production) were addressed.

The workshop stood out for its progressive approach, which combined education with outdoor leisure activities. Participants were engaged through interactive methods such as simple open questions, short discussions, quizzes and drawing activities. The choice of an outdoor venue proved particularly beneficial, as many young people rarely spend time in nature and were thus able to participate in sports or physical activities in addition to the main workshop.

Results and participant feedback

Despite initial scepticism about the attention span of the young target group, the vast majority of participants responded positively to the workshop. They showed interest and impressive existing knowledge about climate change and possible solutions. They particularly appreciated the opportunity to express themselves freely and learn something new in a relaxed leisure activity. The young people confirmed that they had gained new information and practical tips on environmental issues and the need for sustainable change.

The ‘Climate Change & Renaturation’ workshop proved to be a successful pilot project that represents an alternative and potentially more effective method of traditional school education. The combination of educational content and outdoor activities enabled participants to experience learning content in a complementary and engaging way. Close cooperation with Naturfreunde Wien was a key factor in the workshop's success, particularly in terms of identifying target groups and establishing local networks.

The project demonstrates the potential of experiential learning approaches to strengthen environmental education and raise awareness of important social issues among young people.

Our cooperation partners: Naturfreunde Wien