How does civic engagement emerge, and what motivates people to take action on social and environmental issues? This question was at the heart of an interactive session at re:publica 2026. Under the title “Why Do (Young) People Get Involved? – A Collective Experiment on Motivation”, participants and experts explored different drivers of civic engagement.
Moderated by Silke Ramelow (BMUKN), Sophia Dasch from the ConPolicy team, Maria Schmidt, Keno Brieger, and Eslem Rejhan presented four key motivational factors for environmental and sustainability engagement: local change, fun and enjoyment, community, and (in)justice. Their presentations were based on personal experiences, which served as starting points for the discussion.
The session was based on findings from the research project “Strengthening Youth Engagement for Sustainability”, funded by the German Environment Agency (UBA) and implemented by ConPolicy together with other project partners. The project aims to better understand what motivates young people to become engaged and how opportunities for participation can be designed effectively.
The project’s findings have also been compiled in a practical handbook, which is available here.