A dozen scientists and climate defense activists will participate on Wednesday June 7, from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., in the 11th Environmental Conference, a reflection and debate meeting organized by the University of Barcelona (UB), Familia Torres and the meteorologist and professor of Physics at the UB Tomàs Molina.
The session will take place in the UB’s Aula Magna and will focus on a topical issue with great social impact, as its title and heading indicate: ‘Let’s talk about eco-anxiety: is there a future for young people? Let’s get into action! Let’s make the ecosocial crisis an engine of change’.
The organizers have brought together a dozen experts and activists on this occasion with the aim of analyzing the effect of climate change on the mental health and future of young people, and how climate angst is provoking protest actions by youth .
The Minister of Climate Action, Food and Rural Agenda of the Generalitat of Catalonia, Teresa Jordà , will take part in the inauguration of the day, together with the rector of the UB Joan Guà rdia, the president of Familia Torres Miguel A. Torres and the director scientist and host of the event Tomàs Molina.
The future of young people will be the topic that will open and close the day. Oriol Anson, Secretary of the Rural Agenda of the Generalitat de Catalunya, will focus his presentation on young people in Catalonia and will present, as an example, the strategy of generational change in agriculture, while Laura Rahola, Head of Communication of the Representation of the European Commission in Barcelona, ​​will put the counterpoint at the end of the day talking about the future of young people in Europe.
The contest is structured in two blocks: a first part in which eco-anxiety will be addressed from a medical and scientific point of view, and a second block where young people and climate activism will be given a voice.
The speakers for the first part will be Dr. Virginia Krieger, from the UB’s Faculty of Psychology, who will focus on the clinical aspect of eco-anxiety; the psychotherapist Caroline Hickman, who will present the conclusions of the largest scientific study published to date on climate anxiety in children and young people, of which she is a co-author, and the CSIC doctor Fernando Valladares who will give a presentation entitled ‘Can eco-anxiety radicalize climate activism? ? ‘.
The second part of the day will begin with a conversation about climate anxiety between Tomà s Molina and Carlota Bruna, dietician-nutritionist and ambassador of the European Climate Pact. Next, German climate activist Luisa Neubauer will give a talk entitled ‘Why should you be a climate activist?’.
The subsequent round table on youth actions motivated by the ecosocial crisis will be attended by Beatriu Garcias, member of End Fossil Barcelona; Dani Arenas, from Greenpeace Spain; Maria Serra, ambassador of the European Climate Pact, and Elisabet Manich, from the Barcelona Citizen Assembly for Climate.
The conclusions of the XI Environmental Conference will be presented by Teresa Sauras, professor of the Faculty of Biology of the UB, delegate of the rector for Sustainability and member of the advisory committee of the conference; just before the closing of the act in charge of the vice-chancellor assistant to the chancellor Ernest Abadal, Miguel A. Torres and Tomàs Molina.
The event can be followed live through the UB Youtube channel. To attend in person, you must register at www.jornadesambientals.com
