The pilot project ‘ResidenZukunft' was developed by RCE Stettiner Haff to coincide with the launch of the UN Decade for Ecosystem Restoration. The goal of the fellowship programme is to address the urgently needed transformation to a climate-friendly and sustainable economy.

The pilot project finds local solutions for this task under the following concept: The actor, whether company, community or initiative gets a 'ResidenZ' to continue necessary steps towards transformation. The potential 'ResidenZler' applies to address an issue related to that place. Whether it is a community's conversion to renewable energy, more sustainable agriculture, solving water challenges, or more education for sustainable development depends on the local actor. 

Having just completed the first programme, the three ResidenZlers, Fredericke Engelbrecht-Bock, Pablo Melotta and Malte von Viehbein, spent six months in a small village in Rothenklempenow, in north-east Germany. They each received a special kind of scholarship, including basic income of 1000€ per month, access to education modules, and mentors. 

Questions posed included: ‘What opportunities do old grain varieties offer for the future?’; ‘How can rural areas be used as places of education?’; and ‘How can consistently ecological construction methods be realised cost-effectively?’. The ResidenZlers dealt with these questions and researched possible solutions during their scholarship in Rothenklempenow. 

On completion of the programme, the ResidenZlers presented their solutions on 29 June, 2021 to the public in an event, which was presented via live-stream as well as to local government and NGOs on-site.

Dr. Philip Vaughter (Research Fellow, UNU-IAS) congratulated participants on their achievements and highlighted the importance of pairing knowledge gained with action, as seen in the initiatives from the ResidenZlers, in order to tackle climate change, protect the biosphere, and move towards a more sustainable world.  

Take a look at video clips from the event here.

RCE Call for Participation: 
The next steps for the programme are to develop it further, in co-operation possibly with other RCEs globally. If your RCE is interested in getting involved, please contact project manager Tobias Till Keye at tobias.keye@projekt-n.org. 

The next ‘ResidenZys’ shall start in 2022. 

(Photo credits: RCE Stettiner Haff)