The CLIMA BEST project was ceremoniously concluded on Wednesday, February 21, 2024, with a closing conference held at the headquarters of the Slovak Environmental Agency. During the event, we presented the results and outputs of the project to the professional public and invited guests.

The aim of the CLIMA BEST project was to inform, inspire, and mobilize the public and various target groups towards simple and effective measures for climate recovery in the upcoming decade, which is crucial. Through the right combination of soft and hard measures based on bilateral cooperation with partners from Norway, we collectively contributed to raising awareness of climate change and climate literacy among the inhabitants of the Slovak Republic.

In the Bioclimatic Park Drienová near Rajec, simple practical measures were publicly presented, accompanied by several types of informational activities such as water for climate workshops, solar tours on electric bikes, landscape and climate festivals, practical seminars on clean heating, or lectured tours of nearby nature-related measures in the field. More than 2400 participants gained practical experience or acquired new knowledge in the field of climate change adaptation and mitigation. The activities were targeted at a wide audience, including students, representatives of public administration, and those from the private or non-profit sector. Climate workshops focused on natural water retention measures also captured the interest of representatives from the Greek and Slovak Ministries of the Environment.

An important part of the project was the partnership with two Norwegian organizations (The Energy Farm International Foundation, International Development Norway AS), which ensured valuable exchange of bilateral experiences, knowledge, and best practices in the field of smart and emission-free heating, sustainable mobility, and green infrastructure in cities.

“As the Program Operator of SK-Climate program, we consider the KLIMA BEST project to be a flagship, exemplary project implemented within the call ‘Increasing Awareness of Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation.’ The project met the conditions and goals of the call and focused on raising awareness of climate change mitigation and adaptation, taking into account the principles of informal learning,” stated Denis Knotka, Director of the Department of Project Control for Technical Assistance and Programs of International Cooperation at the Ministry of Environment of the Slovak Republic.

Thanks to the project, the premises of the Slovak Environmental Agency in Banská Bystrica underwent a transformation in two years. From a practical perspective, two bicycle shelters were added, one of which features solar charging, a container for surface rainwater retention, stations and feeders for insects and birds, and a biodiverse meadow with flowering species of native plants. These measures were complemented by informational events and promotional-educational materials.

As part of the project, the Info CLIMA Center was also opened in Rajec, which remains in operation even after the project’s conclusion and will provide information about the activities of the Bioclimatic Park Drienová, drawing attention to climate change as a problem of the highest priority.

The project’s aim was also to exchange bilateral knowledge, experiences, and best practices in an effort to increase awareness and literacy about climate change and its impacts in Slovakia. The KLIMA BEST project obtained a grant from Norway amounting to €184,636 and was co-financed with €32,583 from the state budget of the Slovak Republic.