CA25167 - Inclusive Communication for Environmental and Social Change (INCLUDE)

The INCLUDE COST Action aims to establish a pan-European, transdisciplinary and intersectoral network that advances research coordination, capacity building, and policy impact in environmental communication. Responding to the fragmentation of current approaches—often disciplinary, geographically isolated, and disconnected from communities—INCLUDE will integrate key actors from academia, public and private organisations, and grassroots members, and society to co-develop participatory, inclusive, and justice-oriented communication strategies addressing climate and social crises.

The Action’s five strategic objectives are: (1) Mapping the Field to establish a shared conceptual and methodological framework; (2) Strengthening Response Capacity by identifying and adapting participatory communication models for crisis and governance contexts; (3) Promoting Intersectional Literacy to enhance environmental and media literacy among youth and vulnerable groups; (4) Catalyzing Synergies and Policies to bridge research, civil society, and policy-making through dialogue and co-creation; and (5) Empowering the Next Generation of Researchers through mentoring, training schools, and short-term scientific missions ensuring field sustainability.

INCLUDE’s innovation lies in uniting critical environmental communication, participatory governance, and social justice within a coherent European infrastructure. The Action will deliver tangible outputs—such as open-access repositories, policy briefs, ecopedagogy toolkits, and guides for participatory communication—while promoting cross-sectoral collaboration, gender equality, and the active involvement of Inclusiveness Target Countries.

By strengthening capacities, harmonizing methodologies, and creating durable partnerships, INCLUDE will transform how environmental challenges are communicated, ensuring that diverse voices, local knowledge, and equitable participation shape Europe’s sustainable and democratic transitions.