Land conflicts and land justice in the context of the energy transition

CSO: Power Shift
Area: Land Conflicts & Renewable Energy
Location: Berlin, Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Lower Saxony, nationwide

Type of project

This project empowers rural youth (16–30) to understand and address land conflicts between agriculture and renewable energy. Through an online campaign, interactive formats, and on-site exchanges, they gain insights into economic and ecological dynamics, develop solutions, and engage in discussions with policy and industry partners.

Target

The project engages rural youth (up to 30) experiencing land conflicts, raising awareness of justice issues in the energy transition. Through social media outreach, global exchanges, and best-practice examples, they are empowered to actively shape fair and sustainable energy solutions.

Science – Based

The project bridges research and civic engagement through accessible knowledge and expert collaboration. A scientific advisory board (since 2024) ensures interdisciplinary expertise and strengthens credibility of Powershift.

Gender

The project ensures diversity-sensitive events by providing translations, childcare, and barrier-free access. Gender balance is prioritized in staffing, partnerships, and speaker selection, with a commitment to inclusive language and no participation in all-male panels (“manels”).

Planned activities

• Instagram campaign on “land conflicts and land justice in the energy transition” (at least 200 interactions per post, 1,000 organic views per post, and 200 participants in four moderated discussions), developed with partner organizations and educational institutions, featuring “Collab” posts with science-based content and moderated online discussions
• Concept and implementation of one-day crash courses on land conflicts and land justice in the energy transition (conducted four times in different rural regions of Germany, with at least 15 young participants per workshop), fostering exchange and networking
• Implementation of action ideas developed in the crash course, enabling a sense of achievement through collective engagement (reaching politicians, LAs, and multiplicators)

Action model

• Provides knowledge on land conflicts, land justice, and the energy transition through interactive workshops and crash courses.
• Engages young people in rural areas via digital outreach, moderated discussions, and participatory formats.
• Encourages real-world action by supporting the implementation of ideas developed in crash courses.
• Connects participants with experts, researchers, and civil society actors to foster long-term collaboration.
• Creates low-barrier entry points through social media, inclusive events, and accessible educational materials.