Earlier this year I became a European Climate Pact Ambassador for the Slovak Republic — a volunteer role under the European Commission’s Climate Pact initiative. It felt like a natural extension of work I was already doing: using data science to understand and communicate climate change, and trying to connect that work to the people and places it matters for most.
What the role actually means
Climate Pact Ambassadors are volunteers who take on three broad responsibilities: explaining climate change in accessible ways, engaging their local communities through events and practical initiatives, and connecting grassroots advocates with EU-level networks and policymakers. It is not a paid position, and the European Commission is clear that ambassadors don’t speak on its behalf. The commitment is real though — at least three climate actions per year, participation in EU and national events, and annual reporting.
What attracted me was the combination of science communication and on-the-ground community work. My background is in data science with a focus on built environment decarbonisation, and I wanted a way to translate that work beyond academic papers and into something more tangible.
Together in Action 2026
In late March I travelled to Brussels for the ambassador conference. The networking was genuinely the highlight — I met people working on climate across very different contexts, from urban planners to educators to policy advocates, and those conversations felt more useful than most formal sessions. The programme itself was interesting, but the connections made it worth the trip.
The conference started with a walk outdoors, which served as a good reminder of what this whole effort is actually for. Then three days of talks, workshops and networking sessions followed. From early morning till evening, the days were packed with great programme. A dedicated day to ambassadors was truly immersive.
What I plan to do
My focus as an ambassador will be on two things: writing accessible explainers and blog posts that bridge climate science and everyday relevance, and collaborating with local environmental experts in Slovakia to support conservation awareness and citizen participation. Košice and the surrounding region have a lot going on — wildlife tracking, biodiversity initiatives, energy transition — and there is real appetite for connecting that local work to a broader European conversation.
If any of that overlaps with what you’re working on, I’d be glad to hear from you.