20/09/2022 | The communication concept of the Bremen Climate Tram was awarded the "Eunice Foote Prize" at the K3 Congress on Climate Communication in Zurich on 15 September 2022. The prize, endowed with 4,000 euros, recognises people, initiatives, projects or editorial teams from germany, Autrai and Switzerland who have succeeded in providing outstanding climate communication. According to the organisers' website, this award honours new communication formats to motivate people's engagament in climate protection.
The tram, initiated by Scientists for Future and operated by Bremer Straßenbahn AG (BSAG), brings facts about climate change closer to citizens. Clearly recognisable from the outside by its blue and red stripe pattern, which is modelled on the "Warming Stripes" by British climatologist Ed Hawkins, the tram covers up to 400 kilometres of track throughout Bremen every day. Brochures and flyers are available for passengers on the train with information about the consequences of climate change and solutions for a climate-neutral society. The highlight, however, are regular special trips – the next one coming up on 26 November – during which lectures by scientists inviting discussion on climate change.
The Climate Tram is one of six projects nominated for the "Eunice Foote Prize". In total, more than 100 applications from initiatives and projects from Germany, Austria and Switzerland entered the competition's three categories.
Host Dr Eckart von Hirschhausen, Professor Nils Moosdorf from ZMT and Jury Chair Sibylle Lichtensteiger | Photo: Florian Biedermann
Professor Nils Moosdorf accepted the award in Zurich on behalf of the initiators of the Climate Tram: "I would like to thank the jury and the organisers for honouring our project. Climate change is the most pressing problem of our time – it is immensely important to bring information about it to the whole breadth of society," explains Moosdorf. He conducts research as a hydrogeologist at the Leibniz Centre for Tropical Marine Research (ZMT) in Bremen, is a Professor of Coastal Hydrogeology in coastal areas at Christian Albrechts University in Kiel - and is active for Scientists for Future in Bremen.
Die Agentur oblik identity design von Mit-Initiator Stefan Bargstedt ist verantwortlich für die prägnante Gestaltung von Bahn und Medien. Das gesamte Kommunikationskonzept zielt darauf, eine breite Stadtöffentlichkeit zu erreichen: »Der Klimawandel nimmt Fahrt auf. Wir können ihn bremsen. Und das macht Schule. Seit die Klimabahn 2021 in den Betrieb ging, inspiriert sie ähnliche Projekte im öffentlichen Personennahverkehr in Deutschland – wie vor Kurzem den Klima-E-Bus in Kiel«, berichtet Stefan Bargstedt.
The agency oblik identity design by co-initiator Stefan Bargstedt is responsible for the memorable design of the tram and related print media. The entire communication concept aims to reach a broad urban public: "Climate change is picking up speed. We can slow it down. And that is setting a precedent. Since the Climate Tram went into operation in 2021, it has inspired similar projects in local public transport in Germany - such as the Climate E-bus in Kiel recently," Stefan Bargstedt says.
The Bremen Climate Tram was launched in 2021 by the Bremen Scientists for Future, BSAG and oblik and widely supported by donations from Bremen's civil society. The mix of sound science and clear design is the strength of the Klimabahn says initiators Bargstedt and Moosdorf.
Jens-Christian Meyer, company spokesman for BSAG, particularly likes the social impact: "Our trams travel throughout the city – they are the ideal means of getting information out to the whole of society."
Well informed
Free tickets for the Climate Tram's next special trips in Bremen on 26 November 2022 will soon be available online. More information, also on the Bremen Climate Tram is available at de.scientists4future.org/die-klimabahn.
Further information about the Bremer Straßenbahn AG is available at www.bsag.de and at www.mobil-dialog.de.
About the Bremen Scientists for Future
Scientists for Future is a non-institutional, non-partisan and interdisciplinary association of scientists who are committed to a sustainable future. The initiative sees itself as the voice of science, contributing to factual political discussions and acting as a bridge builder to promote dialogue and facilitate insights. To this end, it brings together the skills, knowledge and experience of scientists from a wide range of disciplines.
In Bremen, a regional group of Scientists for Future has existed for several years, participating in the discourse in the city through lectures, information stalls and through the Climate Tram. The group is always open to new members and looking for forums to engage in conversation about climate change and climate protection.
About the K3 Congress on Climate Communication
The K3 Congress on Climate Communication has been taking place since 2017 and is organised by five organisations from Germany, Austria and Switzerland to advance the exchange of experiences with regards to climate communication within the interdisciplinary community. In 2019, the conference was held in Germany. In September 2022, Switzerland hosted the K3 Congress on Climate Communication.
The organisers include: German Climate Consortium, Climate Change Centre Austria, klimafakten.de, ProClim, National Centre for Climate Services Switzerland.
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