We are at the very early stages of our work regarding climate action. Our challenge entails identifying the enabling conditions for climate action and strengthening the abilities of groups and populations to favor their active participation. In this regard, we are conducting semi-structured interviews with young climate activists to extract insights on the reasons, perspectives, and strategies related to climate activism. Additionally, we organized a collective intelligence exercise to raise awareness and share knowledge about the native flora native plants. Here are some of the insights of this early work:  1. Key experiences. Early findings indicate that young activists often draw inspiration from key life experiences, ranging from a connection to nature to navigating socioeconomic crises. Despite diverse backgrounds, these experiences universally represent situations where activists feel a meaningful connection between nature and human actions.    2. Global and local: Young activists recognize that national climate movements are part of a global phenomenon. Greta Thunberg is considered a key international figure, and the inaugural climate march is seen as a significant milestone. Consequently, young activists recognize the importance of prioritizing the development of agendas and actions that align with local needs when contributing to the global climate movement. However, activists face challenges in prioritizing climate issues on national agendas, as other pressing problems consistently take precedence. Environmental concerns usually only gain public attention in response to events like fires, floods, or droughts, rather than being addressed proactively.   3. Positive narrative and social inequality: a broad agreement among the interviewees is the need for a positive narrative in climate action. There is a shared belief that apocalyptic visions diminish the potential for change, making climate action appear futile. Young activists emphasize the value of communicating positive messages to spark action. Moreover, activists understand the importance of an approach that recognizes the close connection between the climate crisis and social inequality. It is recognized that communities in vulnerable socioeconomic situations are more exposed to the consequences of the climate crisis. Therefore, there is a consensus among the interviewees on the importance of integrating climate action into the agenda of social inclusion.   4. Collective intelligence for climate action. People hold valuable local environmental knowledge, and collective intelligence proves to be effective for recovering and sharing this knowledge. Collective intelligence fosters a structured and open exchange of ideas among diverse individuals and groups. We encourage a dynamic dialogue where all voices and opinions are heard to avoid participants feeling intimidated by others in different power positions or with different profiles. Simultaneously, discussions are guided by predefined objectives. This open and structured exchange can promote pro-environmental attitudes and the dissemination of ecological and scientific knowledge. Our work in citizen science has shown that community participation is crucial for gathering accurate climate data and coordinating actions that facilitate environmental governance.   5. Active participation of local communities is essential in designing responses to climate change. Local communities have unique knowledge of their environment, crucial to understanding the specific impacts of climate change. They are on the front lines of the climate crisis, actively engaged in both adaptation and mitigation efforts. The active participation of local communities has the potential to enhance the effectiveness of responses to climate change. Tailoring solutions to the specific needs of each community enables the development of more efficient and sustainable strategies.

We have been conducting interviews since mid-2023. In the coming year, we plan to further expand the number of interviews, as well as increase networking opportunities with climate organizations.   The together with the Río Uruguay Binational Project on Climate Action and the municipality of Concepción del Uruguay, Entre Rios Province, we organized the workshop "Native: Flora of Concepción". The exercise brought together various groups to raise awareness and share knowledge about the native flora of the region. The collective intelligence exercise involved the exchange of knowledge among various groups, and the proposing of action plans from the community for protecting the native flora.   We aim to keep testing methodologies and tools for encouraging the participation of local communities in climate action and gain further insights regarding which are effective to develop sustainable and culturally relevant solutions to climate change.

When conducting and analyzing the interviews, we adopt a life history approach. We aim to understand why and how young people participate in public climate action.  Thus, the interviews inquire over aspects such as the biographies of the participants, their initial engagement with the environmental cause, their perspectives on the national and international environmental movement, the strategies they employ, connections with other stakeholders, and others.  The interviews are semi-structured and expants over an intentional sample composed of teenagers and young adults engage in climate activism. The criteria for diversifying the sample include individuals directly affected by environmental problems such as floods and pollution, as well as those who do not experience such situations. Furthermore, the sample includes leaders of organizations, along with others participating in other roles. The sample is also diverse in age groups and regions of the country.   On the other hand, collective intelligence offered an opportunity for identifying and sharing local knowledge on native flora. Likewise, the excersice allowed to the participants to integrate all the pieces of different local knowledge and transform it into ideas concrete and achievable actions that could be carried out in the short term. The excersice included the participation of various groups, such as civil society organizations, kayakers, park rangers, lifeguards, nursery workers, universities, and the National Institute of Agricultural Technology (INTA, as its Spanish acronym).

By reconstructing life trajectories, we hope to recognize the factors (social, cultural, personal, historical, and others) that shapes youth attitudes, views and behaviors towards climate action. We chose this life history approach because it has great potential for drawing valuable recommendations and lessons regarding how to encourage climate action.   Furthermore, collective intelligence allows us to promote integration between local perspectives and the designing of climate solutions.  We believe that this approach helps develop climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies that are not only innovative, but also culturally relevant and effective.

Climate action currently cannot be understood without the activism of young people. Hence, it is strategic to understand the reasons behind youth activism, as well as the strategies and practices they value and/or deploy, and what meaning they give to being activists. To do so, the Co_Lab, has opted for a qualitative methodological strategy to gain knowledge from the very experiences of young activists.   Arising for lessons learnt in the learning cycle on citizen science, local communties are valuable partners in gathering enviromental data and knowledge, as well in supporting enviromental governance. Collective intelligence facilitate process related to exhanging local knowledge, raising awareness among the communities and promoting local actions. Thus, collective intelligence is key for the Co_Lan in understanding how we can improve the effectiveness of climate action strategies by engaging local communities.