Urban Areas Embracing Youth Empowerment: Transitioning Decision-making Authority
Ditching Tradition to Uplift the Youth: A Revolution for Climate Action
The vibrant, activist energy swirling around today's young generation echoes their fervent call to action on climate change. This dynamic force is most palpable in colleges and cities across America, where anti-war protests are bringing new ideas to the forefront of climate activism.
These eruptive, aggressive, and undeterred protests, reminiscent of the global school strike for climate, emit a fresh wave of activism that goes beyond the traditional scope of environmental activism. To harness this transformative momentum, it's time for the climate community to embrace the spirit of change and usher in an era where the youth ascend to vital decision-making roles.
These young trailblazers are not satisfied meekly supporting chair-side, seeking to bend the curve of decision-making power towards themselves. Their collective refusal to accept the status quo implies that the time has come for local governments to revise their engagement strategies and integrate youth perspectives into climate-related deliberations in earnest, not as a mere show of support.
Amplifying the Youth Voice
A potent shift is on the horizon, and it should be welcomed, particularly by the climate community. However, this new epoch also signifies the need for local authorities to democratize climate-related decision-making to ensure authentic and impactful youth representation.
Case in point - the United Nations Development Program recently unveiled a six-step guide to ensure that young people have equal footing in climate policy formulation. The blueprint includes demonstrating political commitment, fortifying the youth's ability to engage, and fostering an inclusive design process for national climate commitments. Chief among these suggestions - co-designing nationally determined contributions, indicating the administration's commitment to youth empowerment in climate goal setting.
The UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is an ardent supporter of this movement and has established an Envoy on Youth to propel youth involvement in a range of sustainability-focused activities worldwide, including at UN headquarters.
Various international institutions are recognizing the emerging significance of youth participation, taking steps to listen and encourage their voices in the climate conversation. Last year, Local Governments for Sustainability, or ICLEI, launched a Youth Climate Council Startup Toolkit to help local governments create arenas for youth voices to resound and reverberate in the city's climate discussions. Similarly, C40 has published a Youth Engagement Playbook for Cities - a guideline to navigating the process of tackling the climate crisis through collaboration with young people.
Energizing the Movement: City by City
As cities worldwide recognize the impact of youth voices on policy-making, they're implementing innovative initiatives to bring young climate leaders to the forefront.
Seattle organizes the Youth Transportation Summit, where the voices of the future guide the town's investment in climate-responsible transportation solutions, while Vancouver partners with the University of British Columbia to launch the Sustainability Scholars Program. San Francisco has settled on a Climate Action Fellowship for youth, designed to empower participants to overcome climate change by taking active steps, kindling hope for future generations.
Los Angeles County launched the Youth Climate Commission to keep a finger on the pulse of younger individuals, ensuring that their perspectives resonate in the Board of Supervisors and County departments. Meanwhile, Hawaii has rolled out the Youth Congress - a platform where young minds collectively deliberate to sculpt a more sustainable path for future generations. Cities, counties, and states across the United States are following suit and constructing similar initiatives.
These initiatives, while significant, may not be enough to truly integrate the youth voice into key decisions. Youth engagement could still be perceived as an ancillary action to critical decision-making processes, shading the efforts as mere performative.
Bridging the Trust Gap
Amid an era of dwindling trust in key institutions, particularly among younger generations, it is crucial for local governments to demonstrate authenticity in their commitment to youth empowerment.
With half of the world's population below 30, it's high time they shared equal decision-making power on matters that concern their future, particularly climate change – a topic that occupies the thoughts of 80% of this demographic. Bloomberg Philanthropies aims to promote youth-led climate initiatives through microgrants, focusing on co-managed youth climate action plans, youth-guided climate mitigation and adaptation projects, and youth-orchestrated research and development initiatives. Funding like this will serve as a catalyst for genuine power-sharing among youth.
Harnessing the Power of the Youth
Times are changing, and the younger generation is demanding a larger role. The activism we witness across college campuses and cities not only paints a vivid picture of discontent but also stands as an opportunity to channel this energy into positive momentum.
By heeding the call of these budding activists, we stand to gain a more significant and enthusiastic force driving new climate action. With 2023 crowned the highest emissions and hottest year on record, it's clear that business-as-usual is not cutting it anymore.
It's time to cede the reins to the youth, who are eager to steer the direction of climate policy, planning, adaptation, and research. In doing so, we yield three advantages (in addition to their smarts):
- Fresh energy and dedication: The youth are championing the long game. Let's harness their commitment and tenacity.
- Greater buy-in: Involving a disenchanted and disconnected demographic in decision-making is essential to build trust, solidarity, and solidify the will to create meaningful change.
- Increased creative output: Invigorating the climate movement with the dynamism and flair of the TikTok generation will breathe new life into our efforts and help unlock innovative pathways to mitigation and adaption.
Let today's youth lead the way. The planet and our collective fortunes depend on their innovation, energy, and determination.
The integration of youth perspectives in climate-related decisions is essential for authentic and impactful representation, as demonstrated by the United Nations Development Program's six-step guide. Local governments can foster youth empowerment by co-designing nationally determined contributions and implementing guidelines like the Youth Climate Council Startup Toolkit from Local Governments for Sustainability.
Innovative city initiatives, such as Seattle's Youth Transportation Summit, Vancouver's Sustainability Scholars Program, San Francisco's Climate Action Fellowship, and Los Angeles County's Youth Climate Commission, are instrumental in bringing youth climate leaders to the forefront. However, perceived ancillary actions may require demonstrations of authenticity from local governments to bridge the trust gap with younger generations.
By ceding decision-making roles to the youth, we can harness their fresh energy, dedication, and creative output to create meaningful change, ultimately strengthening the resolve to combat climate change. Involving the TikTok generation into the climate movement will breathe new life into our efforts and unlock innovative pathways to mitigation and adaption.
