Chios Climate Chance: An Active Community for Climate Action

In just two years, 8,694 residents of Chios - from children aged 4 to seniors aged 96 - were trained through CCC tools and became Climate Ambassadors. Students, youth, parents, professionals, associations, local stakeholders, senior citizen centers (KAPI) and villages participated equally and inclusively, proving that climate action involves the whole community. Chios’ message travelled far beyond the island: 99,307 people were informed in total, carrying local action to a national and global audience.

The project began with a simple but meaningful goal: first listen at the people of Chios. Through a public opinion survey, questionnaires (500 respondents), 11 focus groups (with 117 participants), focus groups, and workshops, the program captured residents’ experiences, concerns and observations about the climate changes they are already witnessing. This knowledge became the foundation for the program’s design, ensuring that every action had real meaning, local relevance and social acceptance. Even the campaign’s core message was shaped by residents themselves: We have the power. We have the tools. We are aware. The decision is what remains.

Through 150 actions embedded into everyday life - schools, villages, beaches, cafés, festivals, public spaces and local media - knowledge stopped being abstract. Local buses became moving awareness platforms, and the exterior wall of the Town Hall turned into a public message canvas, making the campaign visible, understandable and accessible to all.

A central pillar of the initiative was the free digital Toolkit, developed with a microlearning approach. With simple, short modules, images, videos, reliable data, public speaking tips and practical tools, the Toolkit enables every citizen to learn, educate others and organise initiatives on their own time. 96% said they changed at least one daily habit, confirming that understanding can turn into action.

A big thank you to every resident who participated - students, parents, educators, professionals, associations, local institutions and people of all ages - and to the 24 local stakeholders who supported the project.

Chios Climate Chance was completed as a pilot, but it doesn’t end here: it leaves behind an open, transferable and practical model that can be applied in other regions.

Chios made the decision. And now it shows the way.

The CCC project is implemented by the Hellenic Marine Environment Protection Association – HELMEPA, with co-funding from the “Maria Tsakos” Public Benefit Foundation and the John S. Latsis Public Benefit Foundation.

Contact:

Program Manager: Nefeli Zervou | nzervou@helmepa.gr |+30 210 9343088 (ext. 307)

Website: Chios Climate Chance

Instagram: Chios Climate Chance     

Facebook: Chios Climate Chance

Media and Communications: Evdokia Gerasimou, Head of Public Outreach