Development of energy education, SPARE development, on the level with NGO vision and involvement to the climate/energy policy were discussed October 13-15, 2008, at the INFORSE-Europe seminar in Montreuil, France.
Participants from 18 countries of Central, Eastern, Southern and Western Europe had discussions, led by INFORSE-Europe leader Gunnar Boe Oleson, on the issues: NGO vision o and involvement to the national energy strategies, NGO participation in international negotiations on climate policy, EU energy package, etc.
Special attention was given to the development of the energy education, especially practical education for promotion of RE. Participants were very interested in the practical exercises for schoolchildren, best practices of SPARE small scale energy solutions. At the workshop Ursel Beckmann (BW Germany) and Ion Zamfir (Friends of the Earth and SPARE Romania) presented exercise on construction of simple RE models/toys, based of photo voltage elements.
Also prospective of SPARE introduction in the countries, which are not formally involved to SPARE program, was discussed. Olga Senova (Friends of the Baltic & SPARE international) informed participants about new SPARE educational program for primary school, produced in Moldova, invited everybody who is working on energy education to register as a SPARE school.
Participants from Greece, Romania, Slovakia were interested in the English version of SPARE text-book and see the opportunity to translate it fully or partly to the national languages.
Within the discussion of the climate policy the new initiative was discussed: to develop NGO monitoring of national climate policies. Friends of the Baltic proposed to work out the guideline on NGO involvement to this process. These proposals will be further discussed among INFORSE members.
