On 30th May 2025, at the premises of the Youth Centre in Makedonski Brod, a training on the topic "What is climate change? Threats and possible solutions" was held, intended for young people aged 15 to 29. The training aimed to increase the awareness and engagement of young people in dealing with climate challenges and to encourage active civic participation in environmental protection at the local level.
The lecturer of the training was Dr. Pece Ristevski, B.A. meteorologist, who spoke about global climate change, global warming, climate fluctuations in Macedonia from 1926 to 2015, as well as expected climate changes in the 21st century. The topic of the consequences of climate change, as well as possible solutions for mitigating them, was also covered.
In order to strengthen the resilience of the local community in the municipality of Makedonski Brod, this training was a significant step towards increasing the awareness of young people from Makedonski Brod about climate challenges and the importance of prevention in the fight against climate change, which is very important, especially after the increased forest fires and landslides on the banks of the Treska River. Among other things, the training should also contribute to encouraging the active participation of the local community and integrating innovative and sustainable solutions for natural resource management, promoting sustainable practices and implementing activities for prevention and adaptation to risks.
In addition to this training, it is planned to conduct a field survey to identify the priorities and capacities of local stakeholders in the fight against climate change at the local level, the results of which are planned to be shared at a public forum, conduct field eco-actions for the revitalization of burned areas, conduct a campaign to raise awareness about climate initiatives and the importance of citizens’ participation, as well as establish an informal local environmental lobby for environmental improvement, as an example of a successfully established mechanism for cooperation and partnerships between local actors in this municipality.
All these activities from the initiative of the Local Development Association LOCAL AKT Makedonski Brod will contribute to the creation of a proactive model of local action, increasing awareness of climate challenges and mobilizing citizens for active participation in environmental protection.
The training is organised under the project "Active Citizen Participation for Building a Climate Resilient Community", implemented by the Local Development Association LOCAL AKT Makedonski Brod in partnership with the Ecological Society TRESKA Makedonski Brod. This project is a sub-grant received under the project "EU Support to the Civil Society Resource Centre - Phase 2" funded by the European Union.
