Summary

The discussion on climate change has been mainly initiated and led by cities. In contrast, rural areas are often asked to implement climate change mitigating actions that have been decided elsewhere. The IlmastoAreena project aims to change this situation by making rural areas an active participant in the discussions on climate change. 

The IlmastoAreena is a platform that helps actors in the countryside – from farmers to entrepreneurs, youth to energy companies – to get actively involved as equal partners in the discussions on climate change and contribute in the co-creation of solutions. As a platform the project represents the rural areas in the discussions that take place across the country throughout the year, it initiates discussions itself and organises an annual two-day festival on climate change in the town of li, Finland.

Results

Rural areas have become an active and equal partner in the co-creation of solutions to tackle climate change. 

The IlmastoAreena is projecting the success of the town of Ii, Finland to all rural areas and as such, it demonstrates that important challenges can be addressed by rural areas.

Around 45 events will be organised through-out the whole project period. 

There is a strong demand to internationalise the IlmastoAreena and the project holders are planning for this next stage of the project.