I returned to my old school in Rome last January; an experience that lifted the spirits. I was there to talk to students about some of the issues I covered in my book on the climate challenges facing Europe. By the end of that afternoon, I felt reassured, and not just because of how engaged these 16- and 17-year-old students appeared, asking well-informed questions and commenting on my work. It was because behind many of their interventions there was something very personal. They were not discussing abstract concepts unrelated to their lives, but were well aware that this is their Europe and their planet, and that it is up to them to contribute to save both. They wanted to know how best to fight back against Russian disinformation; how to change their lifestyles to make the European green deal a reality; and how to contribute to a more rational and humane approach to migration.
Yes, Europe was at war, with no end in sight to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, while the energy crisis was in full swing, as Europeans waded through their first winter without Russian gas. And it was still unclear whether the return of energy security to the agenda would have shelved climate action. Important elections loomed, especially those in Turkey, Spain and Poland.
