The Basque Climate Narratives Observatory seeks to listen, map and raise awareness of how citizens talk, feel and think about climate change

23/10/2025

The Basque Climate Narratives Observatory is a platform that seeks to listen, map and raise awareness of how citizens talk, feel and think about climate change. 

It was created in order to make the invisible visible: the voices, feelings and social frameworks that go through the eco-social transition of the people living in the Basque Country. It also acts as a bridge between citizens and their representatives and institutions: it carries out the function of conveying climate narratives to actors in decision-making positions, in favour of the design of public policies, the co-creation of transformative narratives and more inclusive and effective mobilisation. 

To mark the launch of the Observatory, two face-to-face events have been organised for the collection and co-creation of narratives, which are open to the public. The first was held on Thursday 23rd October at ASTELKLIMA at Ihobe's headquarters in Bilbao, and the second event is scheduled for 6th November in Vitoria-Gasteiz. Furthermore, the three Basque capitals and the provincial councils will promote activities related to the Climate Narratives Observatory in spaces open to the public, such as civic centres or libraries. 

Promoted by Bla Bla LAB, the Observatory is a science and citizen participation initiative that combines collective intelligence, climate communication and the analysis of narratives to map and amplify climate narratives in the Basque Country, with the support of the European Union through the IMPETUS project. 

The three levels of the Basque administration are united to promote the initiative 

The three levels of the Basque administration - Araba, Gipuzkoa and Bizkaia Provincial Councils, Bilbao, Donostia and Vitoria-Gasteiz City Councils and the Basque Government - have joined forces to promote this initiative. These actors have provided the project with its strategic vision and logistical structure, as well as acting as a bridge to the territory. As promoters, they have facilitated the articulation with other actors and have promoted the capillarity of the initiative in order to make it reach citizens. 

The Basque Climate Narratives Observatory was presented on 21st October at the headquarters of NaturKlima, the Gipuzkoa Climate Change Foundation. The event was attended by María José Madeira, Araba Provincial Council’s Director of Natural Environment, Álex Peláez, Bizkaia Provincial Council’s Director of Environment, José Ignacio Asensio, Gipuzkoa Provincial Council’s Deputy for Sustainability, Víctor Trimiño, Bilbao City Council’s Director of Sustainability, Iñigo García, San Sebastian City Council's Councillor for Diversity, Inclusion and Environment, Aitor Zulueta, Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council’s Director of the Environmental Studies Centre, Josu Bilbao, the Basque Government’s Deputy Minister for the Environment and Fernando Andrés, Director of Bla Bla Lab.