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Daniela Ferreira da Silva participated as a guest speaker in the course unit Sociology of Territory and Environment, organised by José Pedro Silva and Inês Barbosa within the Master’s Programme in Sociology at the Faculty of Arts and Humanities of the University of Porto.

Her contribution, entitled “The Politicisation of Climate Change: The Youth Climate Movement in Portugal”, took place on 13 April 2026. It aimed to discuss the politicisation of climate change through an analysis of the political imaginaries of the youth climate movement in Portugal, as well as through collaborative workshops with young people exhibiting different levels of engagement with the climate crisis.

Special thanks are extended to the course lecturers and to all those who participated in the session.

Researcher Daniela Ferreira da Silva was the guest on episode number 40 of the podcast Compor Mundos – “Future Networks: Youth Reimagining Climate and Politics”.

Youth climate activism has been shaping new ways of thinking about and doing politics. These groups, led by young Portuguese activists, are building political imaginaries that challenge dominant narratives, mobilize digital networks to act and communicate, and negotiate their media representations within a transforming public sphere. In this episode, we analyze and reflect on how youth activism is reshaping the relationship between communication, politics, and ecology, focusing on new dynamics of mobilization and the symbolic disputes that cut across the media and digital landscape.

The episode was recorded in Portuguese, published on February 19, 2026, and can be accessed here.

JustFutures took part in the Ethical Assembly, held on 29–30 November, an inspiring two-day gathering focused on ethical innovation and global responsibility towards climate justice. Representing the project, Dora Rebelo joined a dynamic roundtable on Climate Action, where activists, researchers, and engaged participants exchanged perspectives on the urgent need for equitable transition and climate action.

The conversation focused on shaping climate-just futures, highlighting the importance of solutions that not only address environmental challenges but also promote fairness, resilience, and collective empowerment. The group emphasized actionable pathways that communities worldwide can adopt to transform climate concern into concrete, inclusive change.

Daniela Ferreira da Silva took part as a guest speaker in the course “Sociology of Communication and Information”, organized by Diogo Guedes Vidal and Vanda Viegas from the Social Sciences undergraduate program at Universidade Aberta.

Her talk, titled “Youth-Led Climate Activist Groups: Political Imaginaries, Communication Strategies, and Media Representations,” was held on November 26, 2025. The goal was to present the political visions of young climate activist groups, their references, how they mobilize, and how the media portrays them. Her presentation contributed to a broader discussion about what these dynamics mean for the study of climate change communication.

Special thanks to everyone who actively took part in the webinar, helping spark reflection and discussion.

Professor Anabela Carvalho participated in the program 90 Seconds of Science. The episode is titled “JustFutures Project studies climate activism among young Portuguese people.” The short audio clip can be heard here.

The Production highlighted the following idea: “It is clear that many young people have a greater desire to make their voices heard in the public sphere. There are many prejudices against young people, often on the part of political and other entities, regarding their ability to think, reflect, and propose paths for the future, and this adultism and these prejudices are sometimes demobilizing as well”.

The JUSTFUTURES project was invited to join a network of initiatives that explore young people’s climate imaginaries. The WTFutures project seeks to answer the question: “How do young people envision their future in relation to climate change?” The project has mapped 54 projects across 29 countries.

Researchers and professors Anabela Carvalho and Maria Fernandes-Jesus were interviewed for the initiative. A 15-minute audio recording can be found at the bottom of the page.

You can visit the page dedicated to JUSTFUTURES here.