Summary

As part of the Climateurope2 project, the Center for the Promotion of Science started the Traveling Climate Action - Roadshow, which promotes climate services through art and science at 10 locations in the Southeast European region. The traveling climate action was carried out in the first four locations in the area: in Rijeka (Croatia), Tirana (Albania), Kotor (Montenegro) and Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) from June to October, 2024.

Using climate data in an effective and timely manner is key for the green recovery of our environment. Climate services allow us to use climate data for informed decision-making, to reduce certain risks, and to better adapt to climate change.

Within the Climateurope2 project, the Center for the Promotion of Science is working on the formation of a community of users of climate services. To present and promote climate services, the Center organizes public programs, such as the Traveling Climate Action - Roadshow, dedicated to climate research in Southeast Europe. This innovative approach should help expand the climate services community in this currently underrepresented region of Europe.

Climateurope2 Traveling climate action – Roadshow will take place in a total of 10 locations in Southeast Europe, and the first five will be implemented in 2024 (Rijeka, Tirana, Kotor, Sarajevo, Skopje). The goal of this action, which represents a combination of science and art, is to raise awareness about the role of climate services, as well as to acquaint citizens with scientific facts about climate change. The first in a series of events was realized, from June 19 to 21, in Rijeka, in cooperation with the Faculty of Physics of the University of Rijeka, while the event in Tirana, which took place on June 24 and 25, was the result of the cooperation of CPN with organizations Serbian Gaming Association and Albanian Gaming Community from Tirana. The last two locations were Kotor (Montenegro) in cooperation with Marine Biology Institute, University of Montenegro from 11th to 14th August; and Sarajevo (Bosnia and Herzegovina) from 3rd to 5th October, organized with Verlab Institute.

The Center presented its famous immersive art installation "Climate Capsule" to the audience in Rijeka, Tirana, Kotor and Sarajevo, as well as the winning project of the Climateurope2 open art+science call called M1L3NɅ, which gives each visitor a personal prediction of the future in the context of climate change. The "Climate Capsule" was exhibited at Korzo Rijeka, as well as at the Faculty of Physics in Rijeka. At the same time, in Tirana, the public could see the Capsule at the Agimi Art Center and the Coolab premises, while in Kotor the Capsule was presented at Marine Biology Institute, University of Montenegro, and in Sarajevo it was exhibited in front of the City Center Sarajevo mall.

In addition to art installations, an informal poetic dialogue between poet Ljiljana Ilić and climatologist Prof. Dr. Vladimir Đurđević promoted an open public call for climate action in Southeast Europe through poetry and photography. Applications for the call are still open, and you can submit your artwork via the following link.

In addition to immersive artworks, poetry and photography, local partners and the Center also organized panels on climate services, which brought together those interested in using climate information for smart decision-making. The themes discussed across mentioned locations were diverse, including local problems concerning climate and climate services such as features of wind, precipitation, hail and lightning, the importance of long-term monitoring of climate change, modeling of the Adriatic climate, climate background of the local hydrometeorological institute for users and decision-makers, multidisciplinary research on the deposition of desert dust in the Adriatic, climate change from a social perspective, the communication of climate services, as well as the application of artificial intelligence in agriculture.

The entire event in Rijeka, Tirana, Kotor and Sarajevo was visited by more than 1000 visitors coming from the world of science and art, the private and public sectors, as well as from the non-governmental sector and civil society. Through connecting science and art, exhibiting art installations, artistic performances and climate panel discussions, the Center for the Promotion of Science launched the promotion of climate services to expand the community of their users. Anyone can be a part of this community through the the following link and participate in future Traveling Climate Action events and programs.

The Center for the Promotion of Science will visit six more locations, and the next one is in Skopje, North Macedonia, in December 2024.