Catalyst of Change
Supporting a vibrant civil society in Europe
PIC – Legal Center for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment
pic.siPIC is the leading environmental organisation in Slovenia. As a non-profit NGO, PIC has extensive experience in legal protection of the environment. It focuses on advocacy, public participation in environmental decisions, educating and empowering other NGOs, supporting civil initiatives, and pursuing strategic litigation cases. Its mission is to help individuals and vulnerable groups to effectively protect their fundamental rights. PIC is committed to promoting more advanced, democratic and humane solutions by strengthening civil dialogue and NGOs to ultimately involve the public in decision-making processes.
Call 3
About the Project
Our Future, Our Rights
In Slovenia, the voices of children and youth in environmental and climate matters are underrepresented and ineffective. Inefficiency and lack of capacity also apply to CSOs and public officials who advocate for children’s rights or environmental protection.
This project will address this gap by creating a simple, accessible and visually appealing online toolkit about avenues for effective participation of children and youth in environmental and climate matters and communicating it widely. This will increase the capacity of CSOs and public officials dealing with children’s rights and the environment. Additionally, the project will also increase the efficiency of the civil society by spelling out clear and available avenues where CSOs can support children and youth participation. Finally, it will raise public awareness regarding such avenues and present possible systemic improvements that would support effective participation of young people in environmental and climate matters to realize environmental justice goals.
Communication Outputs
As part of their project, PIC has produced two documents:
Call 1
About the Project
Civil Society for Just Renewables
PIC’s project was motivated by the fact that Slovenia has not met its renewable energy targets. The organisation noted that local communities often oppose new wind and solar projects because investors bypass proper procedures, political pressure influences decisions, and public awareness of renewables remains low. The project aimed to enforce the rule of law and empower citizens, NGOs, and CSOs to protect the environment and participate in planning and legal procedures for renewable energy installations. As part of this project, PIC produced a legal analysis, developed a virtual tool, trained 80 NGOs, held three meetings with decision makers and published a strategic advocacy plan with the goal of spreading awareness and including citizens into the process of environmental transition.
Catalyst of Change is an important add-on to existing projects, giving us the space to expand and explore an area we would not have resources for otherwise.
-PIC, on the Catalyst project
Communication Outputs
Media Coverage
PIC’s project and especially their newly developed online tool received a lot of coverage in the national and local media:
- The transition to renewable energy sources must be inclusive and strategically managed – SLOGA Platform
- Online Guide to Wind and Solar Energy Available – Our Contact
- Bad practices deepen mistrust: ‘The politics of certain facts is getting us nowhere’
- NGOs on the installation of windmills: There is also good practice
- STA: Significantly greater citizen involvement for a successful green transition
- “Fair to solar and wind energy” – Economic and business news – Si21 – the first Slovenian portal
- Za uspešen zeleni prehod bistveno večje vključevanje državljanov – Megafon
- Significantly greater involvement of citizens for a successful green transition Ljubljana
Project Communications
This section presents PIC’s own communications as part of the Catalyst project. PIC published a legal analysis, a strategic advocacy plan and created an informational tool. Throughout the project, they also held several presentations and workshops.
We are very grateful that the financial sources helped us to realise these results that are really needed in Slovenia for the better development of RES (wind and solar).
-PIC, about their experience with the grant.
Funded by the European Union
name
Catalyst of Change: Protecting the Union values by supporting a resilient, engaged and vocal civil society for the promotion of women’s rights, environmental justice and anti-corruption
partner
European Center for Not-for-Profit Law Stichting (ECNL)
duration
1 January 2023- 31 December 2026
budget
3,411.982 EUR
