CHAPTER IV Moving forward: youth taking action and making a difference The combined acumen and involvement of all individuals, from regular citizens to scientific experts, will be needed as the world moves forward in implementing climate change miti- gation and adaptation measures and promot- ing sustainable development. Young people must be prepared to play a key role within this context, as they are the ones who will live to R IV experience the long-term impact of today’s crucial decisions. TE The present chapter focuses on the partici- pation of young people in addressing climate change. It begins with a review of the various mechanisms for youth involvement in environ- HAP mental advocacy within the United Nations C system. A framework comprising progressive levels of participation is then presented, and concrete examples are provided of youth in- volvement in climate change efforts around the globe at each of these levels. The role of youth organizations and obstacles to partici- pation are also examined. PROMOTING YOUTH ture. In addition to their intellectual contribution and their ability to mobilize support, they bring parTICipaTION WITHIN unique perspectives that need to be taken into account” (United Nations, 1995, para. 104). THE UNITED NATIONS The United Nations has long recognized the Box IV.1 importance of youth participation in decision- making and global policy development. Envi- The World Programme of ronmental issues have been assigned priority in Action for Youth on the recent decades, and a number of mechanisms importance of participation have been established within the system that The World Programme of Action for enables youth representatives to contribute to Youth recognizes that the active en- climate change deliberations. A variety of youth advisory bodies and youth caucuses provide gagement of young people is central young people with opportunities to share their not only to their own development ideas. However, as shown later in the chap- but to the development of society as ter, the existing participatory mechanisms fre- a whole. It acknowledges that young quently do not allow them to contribute mean- people are part of the solution to the ingfully to the decision-making process. difficulties facing society—not another problem to be solved. The Convention on the Rights of the Child emphasizes that participation is a substantive Because the economic, social, and right and is the means through which children political participation of youth is es- and young people may take part in and influ- sentially a prerequisite for the imple- ence processes, decisions, and activities in mentation of the proposals included in order to achieve justice, shape outcomes, ex- all the other priority areas of the Pro- pose abuses of power, and realize their rights. gramme of Action, promoting the in- 49 The intent underlying this Convention was reaf- volvement of young people is critically firmed in 1995, when the United Nations Gen- important. Proposals for action relat- eral Assembly adopted the World Programme ing specifically to youth participation of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Be- include the following: yond (United Nations, 1995), and again in 2007, in the Supplement to the World Programme of (a) Improving access to information Action (United Nations, 2007a). Generally con- in order to enable young people sidered the first global blueprint for developing to make better use of their oppor- effective policies for young people, the World tunities to participate in decision- Programme of Action for Youth2 identifies full making; and effective participation of youth in the life (b) Developing and/or strengthening of society and in decision-making as one of opportunities for young people to fifteen priority areas requiring action by Gov- learn their rights and responsibili- ernments, the international community, civil so- ties, promoting their social, politi- ciety, and the private sector (see box IV.1). As cal, developmental and environ- stated in the World Programme of Action, “the mental participation, removing capacity for progress of our societies is based, obstacles that affect their full con- among other elements, on their capacity to in- tribution to society and respecting, corporate the contribution and responsibility of youth in the building and designing of the fu- inter alia, freedom of association; (c) Encouraging and promoting youth associations through financial, edu- 2 In its resolution 47/1 on policies and programmes involving youth, adopted in 2009, the Commission for cational and technical support and Social Development stated that the World Programme promotion of their activities; of Action for Youth to the Year 2000 and Beyond (United Nations, 1995) and its Supplement (United Nations, (d) Taking into account the contri- 2007a) would henceforth be referred to as the World Programme of Action for Youth (United Nations, Com- bution of youth in designing, mission for Social Development, 2009). of 2,000 youth leaders from more than 1,000 implementing and evaluating na- youth organizations, many of which are nation- tional policies and plans affecting al networks that bring together young people their concerns; with a desire to contribute to the creation of a more sustainable world. The Youth Caucus fa- (e) Encouraging increased national, cilitates the introduction of youth perspectives regional and international coopera- to the Commission on Sustainable Develop- tion and exchange between youth ment, which is the highest-level forum within organizations; the United Nations system for sustainable de- velopment issues. In addition, the Youth Cau- (f) Inviting Governments to strengthen cus fosters communication and the sharing of the involvement of young people in information between youth organizations that international forums, inter alia, by share an interest in sustainability (United Na- considering the inclusion of youth tions, CSD Youth Caucus, 2008). representatives in their national del- egations to the General Assembly. Young people have also played a prominent role within the United Nations Permanent Fo- Source: United Nations (1995), World rum on Indigenous Issues, especially at its sev- Programme of Action for Youth to the enth session (April 2008), whose special theme Year 2000 and Beyond; proposals for was “Climate change, bio-cultural diversity and action are reproduced verbatim from livelihoods: the stewardship role of indigenous para. 107. peoples and new challenges”. The Indigenous Youth Caucus brought together 145 indigenous The environment was identified as one of the young people from more than a dozen coun- original ten priority areas in the World Pro- tries. In one of its statements to the Forum at gramme of Action for Youth. While climate the seventh session, the Caucus highlighted the role indigenous youth could play in the fight 50 change was not considered a high priority at the time the Programme was adopted, the de- against climate change but also expressed its terioration of the natural environment was. In- concern over the limited participation of indig- terest in the environment intensified over the enous youth in decision-making processes at years, becoming one of the principal concerns the local, national, and international levels (see of young people worldwide. In 2008, youth del- box IV.2). egates to the United Nations General Assem- bly identified climate change as one of their key priority areas for action in the lead-up to the Box IV.2 regular Assembly sessions. During the General Mainstreaming indigenous Assembly debate that year, youth delegates peoples’ issues in international spoke about the eagerness of young people development assistance pro- to participate in decision-making on critical is- grammes and funds dedicated sues such as climate change. to addressing climate change Another important avenue for youth participa- Indigenous peoples, in particular in- tion in United Nations intergovernmental pro- digenous youth, feel that they have cesses is the Youth Caucus of the United Na- been largely excluded from discus- tions Commission on Sustainable Development sions on climate change at all levels. (CSD Youth Caucus). The Youth Caucus is the Indigenous youth have much to con- interface used by the major group represent- tribute and want the international com- ing the interests of children and young people munity to recognize that their people around the world, as mandated by chapter 25 offer unique perspectives and tradi- of Agenda 21, to communicate the perspec- tional knowledge that can be used in tives of youth and coordinate their participation the development of mitigation and ad- in the meetings of the Commission on Sus- aptation strategies. The involvement of tainable Development, and to increase youth indigenous youth as full and effective visibility and involvement within this context. partners will be important to the suc- The Youth Caucus is an international network UNEP is working in countries around the world cess of global climate change mitiga- to promote youth involvement in combating tion efforts. Prioritizing programmes climate change. In February 2003 the Pro- aimed at increasing climate change gramme’s Governing Council adopted the Tun- awareness among indigenous youth za Youth Strategy, a long-term approach to en- through education and training would gaging young people in the work of UNEP and greatly enhance their capacity to par- supporting their participation in environmental ticipate in decision-making processes. activities