A Workshop held as part of the “PAB_LivingLab” project emphasizes the importance of a pedagogical approach that encourages citizens to build new patterns that lead to concrete actions and changes in behavior towards nature.
The “Environmental Education in the Park” training session, held on 20
th April in the Adão Barata Park (PAB) Tourist Office in Loures, was aimed at educators, socio-cultural animators, teachers and volunteers from associations. The aim of the training was to raise awareness of the importance of adopting sustainable practices in everyday life, both individually and collectively, and to encourage active participation in decision-making as a contribution to minimizing impacts on biodiversity.
The session began with an icebreaker, giving the participants a chance to introduce themselves, followed by a brief overview of the action, which included a contextualization of AIDGLOBAL's mission and the work that has been carried out at national level in the Adão Barata Park.
Next, the participants were invited to verbalize or graph their concept of sustainability on a post-it note and share the idea(s) expressed. “Balance”, “energy”, “cycles” and “self-sufficient” were some of the words that best defined the concept, highlighting its importance for ensuring people's living conditions and the planet's resources, so that meeting the needs of the present does not compromise the future.
Climate change, Renewable Energy Communities and the European Union's and Portugal's targets for reducing the carbon footprint were some of the topics discussed. GreenComp - The European Competence Framework for Sustainability was presented as a catalyst for learning about environmental sustainability, as it helps students develop knowledge, skills and attitudes to think, plan and act with empathy, responsibility and care for the planet and public health.
In a dynamic based on the traditional “Handkerchief Game”, the students were divided into two teams and challenged to answer questions about their carbon footprint, polluting means of transport and “unsustainable” lifestyles. This was followed by a guided tour of the Living Laboratory to find out about the innovative technological solutions installed in the Park with the aim of reducing the impact of carbon emissions (CO2). Energy efficiency, sustainable mobility, the circular economy and smart buildings have been implemented in the Park.
The training was organized by the AIDGLOBAL team and had the support of environmental engineer Nuno Mira, who promoted reflection on the responsibilities that the population should have in the fight against climate change, with a focus on urban areas and the unsustainable rise in consumption, which has led to an increase in the ecological footprint, with devastating impacts on the planet. He also addressed the contradictory aspects of so-called “green” energies.
Involvement in citizens' causes was another of the topics focused on, and the participants were encouraged to get to know and support petitions and organizations, such as Amnesty International, which work to ensure that political participation takes into account the issues of the Climate Crisis, human rights and social change.
At the end of the meeting, the PAB Ambassadors' Pedagogical Kit and its objectives were presented, and there was also time for the trainees to take part in three of the Kit's games. All those who expressed an interest in becoming future Ambassadors of the Park and continuing their training were given the Kit.
From theory to practice, we reflected on the theme of Environmental Education, from the point of view of formal, non-formal and informal education, different forms of action that allow, through the acquisition of new skills, the mobilization of citizens to exercise citizenship, social inclusion, social and environmental resilience and respect and appreciation for biodiversity, intrinsically associated with Goals 13 (Climate Action) and 11 (Building More Sustainable Cities) of Agenda 2023 for Sustainable Development.
Calling for the urgent need to protect and regenerate our common home by investing in environmentally clean and sustainable technologies, as well as informing, inspiring hope and stimulating debate and action on the ecological crisis and its roots in overconsumption and current models of economic development, with a view to acting more glocal, with a special focus on Adão Barata Park, is an integral part of the objectives of the “
PAB_LivingLab - Vive a Descarbonização no Parque Adão Barata” project, which has received funding from
the EEA Grants Environment Programme, its promoter is
AIDGLOBAL - Acção e Integração para o Desenvolvimento Global - and its partners are
Loures City Council, the
Instituto Superior Técnico of the University of Lisbon,
bim+,
dstsolar and
Innovation Point.
