This paper concentrates on a particular example of cooperation between European cities and indigenous peoples of the Amazon river basin, namely that of Climate Alliance. The New Urban Agenda adopted at the UN Habitat III conference in October 2016 emphasizes that cities and other human settlements should meet the challenges and take advantage of the opportunities for current and future sustainable and economic inclusive development. Cities should also take measures to address climate change and protect and manage their ecosystems, water resources, the environment and biodiversity. Indigenous peoples, just like cities play a crucial role in the fight against climate change. 80 % of the territories with high biodiversity level are indigenous lands. Their indigenous ecological knowledge may serve as a valuable tool in initiatives aimed at fighting climate change. The aim of the paper is to show whether there are any benefits of such cooperation and what is its significance in the fight against climate change. The main research question is: what are the forms of cooperation between European cities and Amazonian indigenous peoples in the framework of Climate Alliance? In which way can European cities support indigenous peoples in their fight for their rights and consequently for the nature’s preservation? The hypothesis is that European cities may learn from indigenous peoples of the Amazon how to combat climate change.

“Together, protecting marine biodiversity: know how to act” was the French governmental conference organized by three ministries in Paris on 12 March 2020. Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Alimentation, and Ministry for the Ecological and Inclusive Transition along with two research think tanks, Ifremer and OFB have organized the “day of biodiversity”. Participants were mostly researchers, governmental and local officials, business leaders, fishermen, representatives of associations and foundations, all from France. Thus, the language of the conference was French. The conference took place in the 13th century Collège of Bernardins, a former Cistercian college of the historic University of Paris. Experts and audience shared reflections and discussions on major research issues on ocean change, as well as the French position towards global maritime policy in order to find proposals for sustainable management and protection of the ocean.

Dynamic changes in the European climate policy are aimed at a drastic reduction of CO2 emissions. The Union’s policy has several social, economic, and political consequences. Therefore, it is subject to assessment from the perspective of the legal order, including the constitutional order of the Member States. Therefore, a question arises as to the compliance of the “Green Deal” policy with the Polish constitution. It can be very troublesome to answer them positively. The EU policy is not only implemented in the interest of the whole world, and its effectiveness is uncertain, if only due to the need for cooperation of the entire international community. An additional challenge may be the quite evident departure from the principle of sustainable development in favor of climate protection. Although the given questions are troublesome, they deserve attention and noticing an apparent collision.

On March 24, 2021, the First Senate of The German Federal Constitutional Court issued that part of the Federal Climate Change Act of December 12, 2019 (Federal Law Gazette I, p. 2513) must be deemed contrary to Basic Law. The fundamental reason underlying his conclusion was the failure of the federal legislator and the Federal Government to take suitable and prospectively sufficient measures to decrease greenhouse gasses (predominantly CO2) emissions. The Tribunal interpreted Art. 20a of the Basic Law, in conformity with the principle of intergenerational equity. By anchoring his reasoning in that concept, the Tribunal turned into an unclear and controversial path. It may serve to enhance radical political changes. However, on the other hand, it may also undermine the green change.

The author presents selected ventures in the area of climate change mitigation and adaptation that negatively affect indigenous peoples. Against this factual background, she analyzes relevant international legal regulations. Such an analysis enables the answer to the main research question: can climate change adaptation and mitigation actions be the justification for disrespecting the rights of indigenous peoples? The research method adopted is legal- -institutional analysis which includes an examination of the content of legal and other documents. Combined with critical analysis of literature and media reports this analysis allows representation of the reality – violations of the rights of indigenous peoples as a part of efforts to counteract climate change. Recommendations and main findings include: climate change adaptation and mitigation measures may not justify violations of the rights of indigenous peoples; such measures have to be developed in collaboration with indigenous communities; indigenous peoples’ rights may not be perceived as a factor hindering the State’s economic development or an obstacle to environmental protection; indigenous knowledge should be included in the strategies to combat climate change. Indigenous peoples should be regularly consulted by policy makers so that the their traditional knowledge is incorporated in decisions regarding these matters.

Research aim: This paper aims to show the actions that European metropolises are taking to minimise anthropic pressure and to present the attitudes of Polish city dwellers towards climate change. Research problem and methods: The main research problem is to determine to what extent cities, within the possibilities of self-government, can limit, their negative impact on the environment, taking into account the attitudes and opinions of their inhabitants. As research methods, a system analysis, a decision-making analysis, and a behavioural method were used, within which a survey technique was applied. Process of argument: the article presents the process of climate change and its consequences for the state of the environment and the well-being of societies. Actions taken by European metropolises that are forerunners in the implementation of pro-environmental solutions that fit into the vision of the economy and society of the future are presented. This futuristic perspective was juxtaposed with an analysis of the attitudes of the inhabitants of Polish cities. Results of the scientific analysis: The scientific analysis has shown that metropolitan European communities value intangibles, recognising the state of the environment as an integral part of them. Similar attitudes have been noticed among the inhabitants of Polish cities, although they vary depending on the size of the centre. At the same time, environmental awareness is not the same as the willingness to incur costs to protect nature. Conclusions, innovations, and recommendations: Stopping climate change is only possible with the active participation of cities that are forerunners in the implementation of innovative environmental technologies. Polish cities should benefit from the good practices of European environmental leaders, with the participation of citizens in the decisions taken.

Learning plays a crucial role in overcoming difficulties and breakdowns caused by climate change. Sustainability which means giving support or relief to the planet is the focal issue of the paper. It is presented from the perspective of the last over 50 years. Several theories set the stage for learning recommendations, including Freire’s Pedagogy of Hope, the critical theory and transformative sustainability learning. The hope for a better understanding of the nature of challenges that lie ahead, stronger involvement and more creative innovations initiated by humanity is expressed in the context of expected changes to be considered in scholarship and beyond.