Make a difference: Join the European Climate Pact

We know that not all heroes wear capes and when it comes to climate, anyone taking meaningful action can be a superhero. 

Are you already championing climate action in your community? Stay tuned for the next opportunity to become a European Climate Pact Ambassador by subscribing to our newsletter. Everyone committed to making a difference – whether you’re a parent, farmer, teacher, scientist, social worker, or simply looking to do some good in the world – is invited to apply when applications reopen.

We already have more than 800 active Climate Pact Ambassadors across Europe, and some of them are in your country. So, how did they start their climate journey, what led them to the Pact, and what does it really mean to be an Ambassador?

Watch the video to hear from some of our amazing Ambassadors on why they decided to join the Pact before diving into the stories of Adam, Frida and Jurgis.

Plus, find out how you can become a Pact Ambassador yourself.

Adam Thompson – Eco-financer

Adam’s path to climate action

Adam calls Bavaria in Germany home but it’s his travels that led him to climate action. Today, his drive to tackle climate change plays a key part in both his personal life and work.

On his first trip to India in 2008, Adam watched vehicles float down the street during a flood. People climbed onto his truck to avoid being dragged away. Seeing the impact of extreme weather first-hand sparked something in him – he couldn’t just stand by when he knew that climate change is making these weather events more frequent and more severe.

Since then, Adam has taken a holistic approach to climate action. The home he built for his family uses solar power to generate over 90% of the energy they need, and the car he drives is electric. His efforts continue out into the garden, where he grows most of the fresh produce his family needs, although he does admit to having a few too many jars of beetroot as a result.

His work, as Head of Global Sustainable Finance and ESG at IBM Consulting, is all about leading the transition to climate neutrality and helping to re-define business models to address the funding gaps.

‘I think it’s fundamental to everyone’s livelihoods that we address climate change, and sustainable finance is absolutely key in channelling funds and investments in the right direction.’

After his company partnered with The Reef Company, Adam found himself working on The Lisbon Project, which ambitiously sets out to absorb the excess carbon dioxide on the planet by building 2,500 artificial reefs. We know oceans are fundamental in regulating our climate – they absorb at least 25% of the CO2 we produce and capture 90% of the heat generated by our emissions.

After Adam and his team have finished assessing the ocean floor 5km from Lisbon, they plan to build the reefs with locally manufactured sustainable concrete made out of residual waste. By using this material instead of manufacturing regular concrete, they’ll reduce carbon emissions by 90%. The pilot project is a model that, if successful, could be replicated across Europe.

Being a Climate Pact Ambassador

When Adam joined the Climate Pact last year, it was with ‘a conviction that I wish to contribute and support the Pact to simply make the world better’, he says. Being part of the Pact is to him ‘truly engaging and rewarding’. It has significantly bolstered his voice, elevating the visibility of his work on the internet through articles in publications such as Finance Monthly where he talks about the how green finance helps companies be more sustainable.

Adam also enjoys bouncing ideas off like-minded Pact Ambassadors: ‘We need solutions. How are we going to address climate change? The only way to do it is with the grassroots approach’.

Frida Berry Eklund – Super Mum

Frida’s path to climate action

Swedish climate author and communications specialist, Frida had dedicated a big part of her life to getting people engaged in climate action. She had run campaigns, written articles and helped companies to communicate sustainability. But when she became a mum, everything changed.

When it came to climate discussions and goals, ‘far away dates, like 2050, suddenly had new meaning, as I could see a very dangerous future play out, deeply affecting my child's ability to live a full life and infringing on the rights of children everywhere. For me, political inaction became personal’.

For Frida, the question isn’t why climate change matters to her, but why it isn’t important to everyone, everywhere.

‘For me, it is not possible to tell my children I knew yet I chose to look away.’

Now Frida dedicates her time to helping adults to talk to young people about the climate crisis and greening the school system.

‘My first book, Talk to Children About Climate, deep-dived into these topics, providing parents and teachers with a manual on why we need to talk to our youngest citizens about the climate crisis. In my upcoming book, I talk about how schools can take part in the climate transition, whilst helping students build the knowledge and resilience needed for the future.’

Frida also co-founded Klimatkollen (Climate Checker), a platform designed to make climate data transparent. It covers municipal emissions, local carbon budgets and progress towards the Paris Agreement. But it’s the climate-parent platform she kickstarted in 2015, Our Kids' Climate, that she is most proud of.

‘Our goal was to unleash the power of parents to take part in climate action, mums in particular. Parents really are a key group to help shift public support in favour of climate action. The love we have for our children, and the motivation to protect them, is fierce and it can make a difference.’

Today, Our Kids' Climate empowers parent-led groups across 23 countries.

Being a Climate Pact Ambassador

For Frida, being an Ambassador is about teaming up with other people who care about the environment, and being more involved in EU projects on the ground. ‘This gives me hope and strength, at a time when national climate policies and political leadership in many countries, including my own, are being eroded.’

Frida’s advice for future Pact Ambassadors is to use their strengths. ‘Think about what you can bring to the table today, and what you would like out of this opportunity tomorrow to help accelerate the climate transition in your own community.’

Jurgis Didžiulis – Musical Activist

Jurgis’ path to climate action

Jurgis’ story is one of transformation, with his music career and passion for social change coming together to create a powerful force for climate action and community engagement.

Born in Colombia, Jurgis returned to Lithuania in 2000 and in 2010 he made it to the Eurovision Song Contest with his band InCulto. Today, years after he left the music industry, he continues to use his musical background and the platform he’s built to change the way we think about our relationship with the planet, ourselves, and one another.

Jurgis spends most of his time taking his talents to the stage to spread positive messages about ‘empowerment, local involvement and sustainability’. It’s what his movement FLUX is based on – community-driven music that builds trust, inspires imagination, and engages everyone in the room.

‘Climate narratives tend to be fear-based, but through the arts and local gatherings, I seek to change that attitude to one of well-being, hope, and overall positivity – doing what we can with a smile from the satisfaction that it brings.’

Whether he’s raising awareness about recycling or hosting climate-related events, Jurgis knows how to motivate, engage, and inspire action. For example, he is also involved in EarthPercent, a charity providing a simple way for the music industry to support organisations addressing the climate emergency.

Being a Climate Pact Ambassador

To Jurgis, being an Ambassador comes down to what you make of it and he would urge anyone to go for it: ‘Everyone in the Climate Pact is on the same mission. Being surrounded by people who feel the same way, who can share knowledge, insights, contacts, and experience is priceless.’

Are you ready to take climate action a step further?

From Adam’s work with artificial reefs in Portugal, to Frida’s climate books for schools and Jurgis’ interactive musical performances, our Ambassadors prove that the Climate Pact is a place for everyone. It’s given them a reason to push harder for change, a place to share their knowledge and ideas, to show the world what they stand for, and join forces to make an even bigger impact.

Missed the last call for Ambassadors? Subscribe to our newsletter to find out when applications open again and join more than 800 other Climate Pact Ambassadors making a difference across Europe.

Originally published on 18 September 2023.