The transition to a healthy planet and a new digital world can only done by bringing people together and upgrading social market economy to fit today’s new ambitions.

Children and young people have already proved that they can play a key role in addressing climate-related risks by promoting environmentally sustainable lifestyles and setting an example for their communities.Their passion, conviction and energy on the topic, demonstrated that policy makers generational duty to deliver for them.

Join us in shaping a greener future for us and for our children.

Background information

This CONNECT University Junior event is part of the CONNECT University Summer School 2021 on Digital for our Planet that aims to present cutting-edge innovations addressing how can digital technologies be harnessed to tackle climate change, both in terms of a greener digital system, as well as their role in helping reducing carbon emissions across industries. Check this blogpost for the full programme and more information. 

Speakers

Moderator: Anna De Marchi, DG CONNECT F Digital Transformation, European Commission

• Pauline Pasquier, Energy and digitalisation task force coordinator, Generation Climate Europe

Title of the presentation: Promoting a sustainable digitalization: opportunities and challenges for young Europeans

Pauline Pasquier is an environmental activist engaged within Generation Climate Europe, the largest coalition of youth-led networks at the European level, pushing for stronger action from the European Union on climate and environmental issues. Within the organization, Ms Pasquier is coordinating the Circular Economy Working Group, in which an Advocacy Task Force is dedicated to Digitalization.

Ms Pasquier holds a master’s degree in International Affairs and Development Economy from the Bordeaux Institute of Political Studies. In parallel to her advocating activities, she is working as an energy and climate consultant, where she focuses on emission reduction strategies.

• Elisabeth Schauermann, Policy & Communications Officer, Project Lead Youth4DigitalSustainability & Digital Autonomy Hub

Title of the presentation: Youth, Earth and Internet – empowering young people to speak up on what is important to them

Elisabeth Schauermann is a policy officer at the German Informatics Society and a youth coordinator at the European Dialogue on Internet Governance, with a focus on participation and power structures on and about the Internet. Over the past years, she has gathered over 200 young people worldwide to work on their positions for a better Internet and a sustainable digital future. Within the German Informatics Society in Berlin, she also leads projects on human-tech-interaction, Internet governance and diversity.

• Sanjana Paul, Co-founder and Executive Director of Earth Hack

Title of the presentation: Environmental Innovation in the 21st Century: Hackathons, Eco-Preneurship and More

Sanjana Paul is the executive director and co-founder of Earth Hacks. She holds a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering and physics, and is currently a researcher at MIT’s Senseable City Lab. Previously, she worked as an atmospheric science software developer at NASA, an NSF REU participant in extreme ultraviolet engineering in the Kapteyn-Murnane Lab in JILA at the University of Colorado Boulder, and as a Conservation Innovation Fellow at Conservation X Labs.

• Antoin Linssen, Co-Founder at zerow & Jurriaan van Rijswijk, Applied Game Architect

Title of the presentation: The Game Changer - how playful interactions and games drive sustainable human behaviour

Antoin Linssen worked for 15 years in strategic business & marketing roles for several tech companies in the Netherlands, Germany and US.  And because it's simply fun, he also did some programming and game music composition work on the side. Recently, Antoin follows his passion to build playful interactions for a more sustainable world. He is a strong believer that specific experiences can positively and strongly change human behaviour. He is also known for playing the piano too loud.

Jurriaan van Rijswijk is Applied Game Architect for 25 years. He develops game strategies and designs behaviour change with games for among others healthcare professionals, therapies for patients with chronic illnesses, mental and emotional health therapies, lifestyle interventions and rehabilitation. He developed and produced hundreds of applied games and game concepts. Many of his games won various awards and/or are clinically and/or scientifically validated. In 2014 Jurriaan won the ICT Personality of the Year Award. This award is an acknowledgement for a person who stimulates and impactfully applies and implements the use of ICT for the benefit of profit and non-profit organizations as well as governmental organisations.