2023 stands as a stark testament to the relentless march of climate change.

The reality of the climate crisis, a complex phenomenon rooted in human activity accelerating from the 1970s, is now manifesting its consequences with escalating force: extreme weather events, such as storms and floods, have taken centre stage on the global climatic battleground reminding us of our planet’s vulnerability. Europe, with countries like Italy, Spain, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia and Greece has been facing unprecedented deluges. However, the last most catastrophic event of all took place in Libya, where floods claimed the lives of over 11.000 people, leaving thousands more missing.

So, what can be done?

While we may not be able to stop the effects of the climate crisis entirely, we can equip ourselves with the tools needed to mitigate risks and adapt ourselves, mitigating the tragic consequences of extreme weather events. To address the climate crisis, we need indeed a combination of mitigation and adaptation strategies: education and awareness-raising play pivotal roles in this, building resilience and reducing vulnerability to climate change’s impacts.

All this brings us to Flood Stopping, our Erasmus+ Project co-funded by the European Union, that proudly aligns with these goals and whose mission and objectives could not be more timely: flooding, once a rare extreme event, is now becoming alarmingly frequent.
Being aware that the fight against climate change – to be possible and effective – needs to be collective and plural, our consortium is a diverse and dynamic group comprising eight partners coming from Italy, Spain, France, Cyprus, Greece, and Belgium. When we designed the project, we deliberately sought partners with a wide range of expertise and backgrounds to enhance collaboration, including Small and Medium-sized Enterprises such as us (Area Europa), Infinitivity Design Labs and The Right Street; Non-Governmental Organisations like Low Carbon Economy and Spostamenti; High Schools including Σχολή “St. Joseph” Πεύκης and Lyceum Livadion, as well as a Higher Education Institution, the University of Maribor. Together we want to empower high school teachers with the knowledge and tools they need to effectively manage flood risks, transforming them into agents of change and multipliers of knowledge for their students.

The project is on a mission to assemble a comprehensive toolkit by the end of 2024, comprising a diverse range of instruments that use different approaches, tones of voice and teaching methodologies operating at the intersection of infographics, mapping, and gaming tools, pioneering innovative methodologies for educating on climate change adaptation and flood risk management. This toolkit will encompass a series of engaging Podcasts, a comprehensive Manual, Animated Learning Content, an interactive Game Board, and an empowering Community App. Our journey began at the start of this year, and in the coming months, the fruits of our labour will be readily accessible and free to all who seek knowledge and empowerment on our official website, www.floodstopping.eu, and across our social media platforms, always updated, namely Instagram, Facebook, and Linkedin.

This is our commitment to keep on walking through a transformative education process on climate change and its consequences. By targeting high school teachers with an interdisciplinary and transnational approach, we can create a ripple effect that extends far beyond the classroom.

The climate crisis may be daunting, but with initiatives like the Flood Stopping Project and the willingness to cooperate, we have a fighting chance to weather the storm.

We are all in this together: follow our journey!