Background The European Union has agreed to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020 compared with 1990 levels as a step towards reducing the negative impacts of climate change. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), in its fourth assessment report (published in 2007), warned that "warming of the climate system is unequivocal," and that without reducing greenhouse gas emissions considerably, the global average surface temperature is likely to rise by 1.8-4.0 degrees Celsius this century, with harmful consequences for ecosystems and societies. Objectives The overall objectives of the R.A.C.E.S. project were as follows: To raise awareness on climate change and its impacts, and on mitigation and adaptation strategies, particularly in relation to a sample of different urban environments in Italy, and their cultural context (e.g. north, south, coastal, inland). The awareness-raising campaign would target school teachers, families and local stakeholders; To make citizens and especially families more aware of possibilities for environmentally-friendly lifestyles and consumption habits and to encourage them to experiment in their daily lives with actions that would help reduce carbon dioxide emissions; and To improve local environmental governance by promoting and supporting a bottom-up participatory model that gathers local stakeholders (families, teachers and local administrators) and encourages them to share perspectives on climate change mitigation and adaptation. The information and communication campaign at the heart of the project had considered teachers and families as strategic information multipliers. The campaign was strengthened through a family-tutoring scheme and a participation model that allowed the public to participate more in environmental decision-making processes. The campaign was expected to reach 400 teachers directly, and thus, indirectly, a further 8 000 students. In addition, a minimum of 245 families were involved. Communication actions targeted at the general public were to reach 5 000-10 000 visitors of the participating cities during a series of four-day exhibitions. The campaign also reached 50 000 listeners to national and local radio campaigns; and up to 20 000-30 000 people through a local media dissemination campaign. A network dissemination action using the Europe Direct network aimed to reach a further 30 000 people across Europe. Results The R.A.C.E.S. project successfully involved teachers, pupils and citizens in five Italian cities (Firenze, Trentino, Modena, Potenza and Bari), increasing their awareness of climate change and its impacts, promoting environmentally-friendly lifestyles and consumption habits and widely disseminating information on the EU 20-20-20 package. A total of 247 families were directly involved in the project, exceeding the stated target. These families participated in a voluntary scheme called "Carbon Budget". whereby they monitored and reported their CO2 emissions in terms of energy consumption and mobility habits. Results indicate that the project's message had a positive effect on 53% of the families taking part, with this number able to reduce their CO2 equivalent emissions. Attitude/Behaviour indicators showed a slight improvement, especially regarding measures to counteract climate change. However, one indicator that the project had hoped to improve (mobility habits) remained stable, demonstrating that it is very difficult for individuals to change their lifestyles, especially mobility habits, without a change in policy to favour public transport over private motoring. Some 7 000 visitors attended the "Clima Days" travelling exhibition, the core of the communications campaign. The exhibition was extensively promoted both nationally through a radio campaign - reaching 700 000 people - and through local media (radio, press advertising, TV spots). The project was also able to secure a Clima Days presence at established indoor fairs on environmental sustainability (e.g. the National Science Festival in Genoa in November 2010), thus reaching a wider audience than through standalone events alone. Open Space Technology (OST) debates were held in each of the five urban areas taking part in the project, an innovative way of reaching the target groups and encouraging them to discuss the issues involved. These novel debates were particularly appreciated in Florence, Bari and Potenza. Whilst the project's campaign materials can be re-used for further actions, the main transferability aspect is its methodology, that is the integrated mix of communications and awareness-raising actions that link information/knowledge with behaviour, built on the active participation of the target group themselves. This project methodology can be reproduced elsewhere, provided that the project is fully supported and backed by the organisations that are going to implement it. The lessons learnt from the project confirm that when dealing with such complex issues as climate change a mere information campaign is necessary but not sufficient. Since climate change has to be tackled by means of both individual and collective behaviours and choices, awareness must be raised through actions that involve people directly, giving them the opportunity to express their opinions frankly and openly and to participate actively in the community. The project has received the Toscana Efficiente 2010 award, a Tuscany Regional government prize for environmentally sustainable initiatives. Further information on the project can be found in the project's layman report and After-LIFE Communication Plan (included in the Final technical report) (see "Read more" section).