YOUTH AND

CLIMATE CHANGE

Human activities, such as the use of fossil

HIGHLIGHTS fuels, deforestation and unsustainable
agriculture contribute to climate change,
• In response to the growing number of engaged which decreases the availability of
youth organizations in the intergovernmental nutritious food and clean water, and
climate change process, in 2009, the UNFCCC destroys ecosystems and secure living
extended a constituency status to admitted environments. This leads to malnutrition,
youth NGOs allowing them to receive official ill health and migration, rendering youth
information, participate in meetings, request particularly vulnerable. At the same time,
speaking slots and receive logistical support at youth constitute the majority of the
UNFCCC conferences. population in many countries and have an
• Over 10,000 youth have already completed the increasingly strong social and
Climate Change Challenge badge developed by environmental awareness, which has the
FAO, the World Association of Girl Guides and power to transform our societies towards
Girl Scouts and the Youth and United Nations a low-carbon and climate resilient future.
Global Alliance1.

• Since 2004 over 4,500 children and young The United Nations, Youth
people participated in annual UNEP Tunza
and Climate Change
International Conferences, representing over
100 countries, and covering a number of issues
The United Nations System recognizes the
ranging from climate change to the green key role that youth play in tackling
economy and green jobs. The Tunza website climate change and works closely with
receives over 1 million visits per year. youth-led and youth-focussed
organizations around the world through
the United Nations Joint Framework Initiative on Children, Youth and Climate Change (Joint
Framework Initiative). Since 2008 the Joint Framework Initiative has been coordinating efforts by
sixteen intergovernmental entities2 and many youth organizations to empower youth to take
adaptation and mitigation actions and enhance effective participation of youth in climate change
policy decision-making processes.

1
http://www.wagggs.org/en/cop17/blogsvideos/megan
2
Convention on Biological Diversity; Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations; United Nations Convention
to Combat Desertification; United Nations Children's Fund; United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs -
Division for Sustainable Development; United Nations Development Programme; United Nations Environment Programme;
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change; United Nations Human Settlements Programme; Unite Nations
Institute for Training and Research; United Nations Non-governmental Liaison Service; United Nations Organizations for
Education, Science and Culture; United Nations Population Fund; United Nations Programme on Youth; United Nations
Volunteers; World Bank.

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 Youth and Climate Change

• The Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) supports the
development of food security and climate change educational programmes and resources
for rural farmer field and life schools.

• The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) implements the Global Environment
Facility’s Small Grants Programme, which provides funding for projects on mitigation or
adaptation to climate change proposed by youth organizations or non-governmental
organizations that work with youth.

• Through its Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development Programme, the United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) supports the
development of national climate change education programmes, policies and resources.

• With the YouthXchange initiative UNESCO and United Nations Environment Programme
(UNEP) support youth projects on sustainable lifestyles in 45 countries around the world.

• UNEP adopted a long-term Tunza Youth Strategy for engaging youth in environmental
activities in the areas of capacity-building, environmental awareness and information
exchange, with a vision to foster a generation of environmentally conscious citizens, capable
of positive action.

• The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) supports youth-led

groups through its Urban Youth Fund and ‘One Stop Youth Resource Centres’ to develop
programmes to mitigate the effects of climate change in urban areas.

• The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)’s Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk
Reduction teams have greatly contributed to the introduction of Education for Sustainable
Development (ESD) for the past eight years through the Inter-Agency Committee (IAC) of the
United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (DESD 2005-2014). As
2013 IAC Chair, UNICEF is prioritizing programmes that support adolescence and girls/youth
empowerment.

• The United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) supports, through UN
CC:Learn3, a long-term and strategic approach to climate change education which includes
designing national strategies, developing learning materials for both formal and non-formal
learning contexts, and raising international awareness of the need to integrate of climate
change fundamentals into national curriculums.

• The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat

coordinates the work of the Joint Framework Initiative. It also works closely with the rapidly
expanding UNFCCC observer constituency of youth non-governmental organizations
(YOUNGO) to support the substantive engagement of youth in the intergovernmental
climate change process through the organization of high-level briefings with decision-
makers, capacity-building events for youth organizations, the facilitation of youth

3
UN CC:Learn is a partnership of 33 multilateral organizations which supports Member States in designing and
implementing results-oriented and sustainable learning to address climate change. The Secretariat for UN CC:Learn is
2

provided by UNITAR.
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 Youth and Climate Change

participation from developing countries and virtual participation of youth around the world
who cannot attend UNFCCC conferences.

Progress
In response to the growing number of engaged youth organizations in the intergovernmental climate
change process, in 2009, the UNFCCC extended a constituency status to admitted youth NGOs
allowing them to receive official information, participate in meetings, request speaking slots and
receive logistical support at UNFCCC conferences. In only four years YOUNGO has developed into a
vibrant network of youth activists, through which youth make their voices heard and actively
contribute to shaping the intergovernmental climate change policies. At UNFCCC conferences
YOUNGO makes official statements, provides technical and policy inputs to negotiation groups,
engages with decision-makers through high-level meetings and in informal settings and raises
awareness through various advocacy activities. Youth participation has brought moral,
intergenerational and equity-based values as well as constructive technical and policy inputs to the
negotiations.

Back in their home countries and communities, youth are taking action on climate change mitigation
and adaptation. Diverse initiatives include educational, awareness-raising and behavioural change
campaigns. Youth also engage in climate change projects within different national and international
organizations. Over 10,000 youth have already completed the Climate Change Challenge badge
developed by FAO, the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts and the Youth and United
Nations Global Alliance. Since 2004 over 4,500 children and young people participated in annual
UNEP Tunza International Conferences, representing over 100 countries, and covering a number of
issues ranging from climate change to the green economy and green jobs. The Tunza website
receives over 1 million visits per year. Between 1991 and 2012 more than 3 million entries were
received in the Tunza International Painting Competition from over 100 countries. UNEP will
continue to engage children and youth through, for example, regional conferences, the Tunza
Advisory Council and online networking. A new focus on work experience/green employment is
being developed alongside existing initiatives incorporating formal and non-formal education, and
campaigning on issues ranging from food waste to climate change.

The way forward

The work undertaken with and by youth is crucial to raise ambition of governments to come to an
agreement on a new climate change regime by 2015. Tackling climate change requires concerted
coordinated government action as well as conscious and informed efforts by individuals. Therefore,
it is essential to strengthen both formal and informal education on climate change and viable
lifestyles. In addition, sustainable production and consumption patterns must be promoted and
youth supported as environmental champions in their local communities. Partnerships should be
developed between governments, intergovernmental, non-governmental and youth organizations
for joint environmental initiatives aimed at building the capacity of youth as future leaders and
driving forces behind a new climate change regime. Considerable efforts are also needed in
strengthening the adaptive capability and resilience of youth in rural communities in developing
countries.
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 Youth and Climate Change

More efforts must be made to ensure that youth are ready to take advantage of new environment-
oriented employment opportunities. Growing attention to climate change and sustainable
development offers a chance for green economic growth around the world. Green jobs not only
provide much-needed employment opportunities for youth, they also give youth an outlet to
contribute directly to the fight against climate change by adopting green behaviors in the workplace
as well as in their private lives.

For further information

• http://www.fao.org/climatechange/youth
• http://yunga-youth.weebly.com/
• UNICEF and Climate Change and Environmental Education:
http://www.unicef.org/education/bege_61668.html
• www.undp.org/sgp
• Climate Change Education for Sustainable Development at UNESCO:
http://www.unesco.org/new/en/education/themes/leading-the-international-
agenda/education-for-sustainable-development/climate-change-education/
• YouthXchange Climate Change and Lifestyles Guidebook:
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0021/002128/212876E.pdf
• YouthXChange Training Kit on Responsible Consumption:
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0015/001587/158700e.pdf
• TUNZA http://www.unep.org/tunza
• UNFCCC Youth Portal: http://unfccc.int/cc_inet/cc_inet/youth_portal/items/6578.php
• UN Joint Framework Initiative on Children, Youth and Climate Change:
http://unfccc.int/cc_inet/cc_inet/youth_portal/items/6519.php
• Growing Together in a Changing Climate, the United Nations, Young People, and Climate
Change
http://unfccc.int/files/cc_inet/information_pool/application/pdf/growingtogether.pdf
• Youth Participation in the UNFCCC Negotiation Process: The United Nations, Young People
and Climate Change
http://unfccc.int/files/cc_inet/information_pool/application/pdf/unfccc_youthparticipation.
pdf
• Youth in Action on Climate Change: Inspirations from Around the World:
http://unfccc.int/cc_inet/cc_inet/information_pool/simple_search/items/3522.php?display
Pool=1584&lang=6
• http://uniteforclimate.org/

This fact sheet was prepared by the United Nations Joint Framework Initiative on Children, Youth and Climate Change.
It is part of a collaborative effort of the United Nations Inter-Agency Network on Youth Development to provide an
overview on how the United Nations system works with young people on different issues.
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