ΦΙΛΟΙ της ΦΥΣΗΣ | NATUREFRIENDS INTERNATIONAL | Χάρτα για το Κλίμα, 2 NFI-Klimacharta_EN | Page 9

3. Ways in which Friends of Nature can contribute to Cli-
mate Protection
Raising political demands is but one aspect of climate protection, which also implies
tangible proof that climate-benign social and economic life is possible in societies
inspired by a spirit of solidarity. The International Friends of Nature organisation
boasts a membership of 600 000, who wish to live climate protection in their every-
day and in their organisational lives.
As a clear sign of the will to effect politico-cultural change, Friends of Nature adopt a
comprehensive programme in response to the challenges of climate change. Meas-
ures promoting climate protection and adaptation to the consequences of climate
change are specified for the general activities of organisations, for Friends-of-Nature
houses, tours and mobility, political work as well as for day-to-day office work, and
2012 is set as the deadline by which they ought to be implemented, or by which at
least concrete steps should be taken towards their implementation.
a. General activities of organisations
Sensitising campaigns that propagate a climate-friendly life style: As part of PR
work and member support services (e.g. magazines, websites, mailings,...) Friends-
of-Nature organisations consistently draw the attention of their members to neces-
sary changes in their life styles and consumer behaviour. Entering into partnership
with specialised climate protection organisations can reinforce these efforts.
Campaigns should take account of the interests and potential of target groups in an
effort to enhance their sense of being personally responsible for climate protection.
Making people aware of the CO2 footprints of various products and activities against
the background of their personal CO2 budget of two tonnes a year, is an example of
how to effectively and graphically demonstrate the scale of climate-damaging actions
at the individual level.
Among the aims pursued with Friends-of-Nature projects and campaigns, such as the
Landscape of the Year, is environment- and climate-friendly mobility. Similarly, the
principal purpose of the international Natura Trails Campaign – when broken down
to the local level - is to encourage people to engage in nature-based leisure activities
and to use environmentally compatible means of transport for their access trips.
b. Friends-of-Nature houses
Saving CO2, when it comes to building, maintaining and operating the more than
1 000 Friends-of-Nature houses is one of the principal contributions member organi-
sations can make to climate protection and the adaptation to climate change.
New building: Low-energy construction with a maximum annual heat energy de-
mand of 40 kWh/m2 must be the method of choice, when building new Friends-of-
Nature houses. Whenever feasible, preference should be given to the even stricter
passive house standards, which provide for a maximum annual heat energy demand
of 15 kWh/m2. All possible options of obtaining subsidies and funding and of con-
structional planning should be examined in detail in advance.
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