Human dimension of the Green Deal: skills and mind-set needed for the sustainability transition

There is growing awareness that we need something beyond technology, legislation and finance to make the just green transition happen: namely the right mind-set and skills, as well as reconnection to nature.

GreenComp, the European Sustainability Competence Framework acknowledges the interdependence of life and species, and that restoring and regenerating healthy and resilient ecosystems will require developing empathy towards the planet and showing care for other species. Knowledge about nature can encourage us to connect more closely with nature, which in turn can motivate further learning for sustainability. Promoting nature fosters a healthy relationship with the natural environment and can ignite in people a feeling of connectedness to the world’s vast web of life. This can help contrast the psychological distress and negative emotions that children and young people worldwide experience because of climate change, and rather turn the distress into focused action.

This session will explore the human dimension of policy-making: how we can use reconnection, learning from nature, community building and promotion of the right skills and mind-sets to accelerate the just green transition.