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Description
The main goal of the project is to accelerate the steps towards sustainable Estonia. For that we are combining the existing knowledge from Estonian environmental organisations into a holistic picture. With the help of that collective knowledge, we will interpret sustainable development topics to the local level in the year of local elections (2021) and will support the emergence and implementation of local green commitments. With this project we are creating favourable conditions for the cooperation among environmental organizations (both national and local) and for accelerating green commitments in 10 local governments in the years 2021–2022.
Main outcomes of the project are that sustainable development and environmental goals are acknowledged in local governments, the responsibility to act has increased on local level. The project has created fertile soil for reaching the Estonian green deal on the state level.
The project is led by the Estonian Roundtable of Cooperation (AKÜ) and the Green Tiger (Rohetiiger). Main partners are The Estonian Young Academy of Sciences and more than 20 environmental organizations from all over Estonia.
Summary of project results
The overall goal of the project is to accelerate Estonia''s transition towards a sustainable state – to expedite the green transition. The project was initiated due to the need to support cooperation between environmental organizations in order to influence the Estonian government to address environmental crises and actively engage in the green transition. Furthermore, it was necessary to address the fact that sustainable development goals have not yet been sufficiently recognized or systematically coordinated at the local government level in Estonia.
The ambition of the project was to raise awareness of environmental aspects of sustainable development at the local level and increase responsibility for action. As a result of the project, the aim was to create a favorable foundation for strengthening societal demand at the national level, including the adoption of a national Green Deal and subsequent actions.
The direct objective of the project was to interpret sustainable development topics within the context of local governance to encourage municipalities and residents to take collective action in this direction. The indirect goal was to accelerate Estonia''s progress towards becoming a sustainable state by creating a comprehensive overview of existing knowledge and enhancing the implementation of environmental initiatives through cooperation.
15 environmental associations, along with scientists from various organizations (including ENTA-Estonian Young Scientists’ Academy and others), were involved in the project. Through joint contributions and workshops, comprehensive recommendations were prepared, resulting in 38 environmental recommendations for local governments and enhancing closer cooperation among environmental associations through joint activities.
During the project, 10 local governments were approached, of which four expressed interest in initiating changes to accelerate the green transition. Environmental actions proposed by the city of Tartu, the city of Võru, and the municipalities of Saku and Rae were implemented. Furthermore, the municipalities of Tartu, Saku, and Rae are planning independent follow-up activities to further build upon the project''s results.
At the outset of the project, the primary concern was a perceived lack of motivation among municipalities to undertake change. For this reason, the initiative was informally referred to as the "green nudging project" within the team. However, during the project’s implementation, the key problem areas were identified as follows:
- At the management level, linking green goals with strategic objectives.
- Awareness gaps, both in understanding the complexity of environmental problems and in aligning with sustainable development goals.
To address these issues, environmental ambassador initiatives were replaced with workshops and presentations aimed at raising awareness. Internal awareness within environmental associations was also improved through contributions to books and articles that provide tools for managing change. Additionally, lobbying efforts were undertaken to align the 38 environmental recommendations with the work of the Green Policy Expert Committee.
Within the scope of the project, the Climate Assembly was supported through activities involving the youth of Ida-Virumaa and the organization of a Climate Assembly in Tartu. Preliminary work has also been carried out for planning the Climate Assembly for Estonia’s largest municipality, the city of Tallinn. The Climate Assembly is proving to be an effective and inclusive method for addressing complex issues, as demonstrated by the significant participation in the Autumn School of the Climate Assembly, which was held as part of the project.
Project efforts have initiated a discussion about and a wider adoption of the Climate (Citizen) Assembly as a method of public involvement. Climate Assemblies directly serve the dual purpose of raising awareness and fostering improved cooperation between local governments and residents. Cooperation with the state has laid the groundwork for the potential establishment of a national Climate Assembly in the future.
On municipality level, the project has contributed to raised awareness about the connection between sustainable development goals and decisions concerning strategic management of the municipality and provided necessary support to develop concrete action plans in selected municipalities.
The project has nurtured wider cooperation among environmental associations that would not have been possible otherwise. Follow-up activities include raising awareness and introducing the materials created within the project to other municipalities. Another big thing following the project is Climate Assembly with the city of Tallinn (Capital of Estonia).