The project Let's Take Care of the Planet, a key education process to invent a new future?

In 2009 research scientists of the CNR in Bologna, educators, social organizations and stakeholders guided some Italian schools into an innovative path on environmental education within the framework of "Let's Take Care of the Planet" (LTCP) international project. The project aims to face major environmental problems through a responsible involvement of civil society. A new approach to educational models was proposed to prepare the youth in scientific research fields while strengthening their cross-disciplinary vision and existing European culture to support future societies. The project promotes the problem-solving capability and creativity. The youth school experience is then transmitted to adults by means of family structure thus affecting attitudes and lifestyles of adults otherwise more refractory to deep behavioural changes. The research scientists contribution to the project enriched the European process by promoting the concept of scientific citizenship in order to achieve a critical thought on environmental problems, to raise awareness on scientific methods, strategies and up-to-date scientific and technological contents. Important project achievements include: 1st International Youth Conference (Brasilia 2010), meeting with European representatives (Brussels 2010), presentation of Brazilian Conference results at the Covenant of Mayors Ceremony ( (Brussels 2011), 1st European Youth Conference (Brussels 2012) and participation to the Rio+20 Earth Summit (Rio 2012).