Record-breaking summers of floods and fires are becoming the new norm. This devastating reality serves as the scenery for the student film ‘The Color of Trees’, which was created with the support of the Heinrich Böll Foundation and screened for the participants of the congress at our office. The film portrays the power climate has to radically turn all of our lives especially those more vulnerable; young people, women of all ages, persons facing mental illnesses and precarious conditions (e.g. immigrant). Participants related to the feeling of helplessness. Outlets to overcome apathy and regain power were offered in the preceding pitch by Chris Vrettos (Electra Energy coop), a participant of the 8th Congress of Young Europeans himself. In his lively presentation, he explained what energy communities are and how their cooperative and democratic model holds a degrowth transformative potential that can bring radical social changes and climate justice.