Young people are playing a crucial role in promoting lifelong learning for climate action, writes UNESCO Institute for Lifelong Learning (UIL) greening communities consultant Katie Jones. Their importance as change agents in various initiatives should be recognized and shows how critical it is that they are fully engaged in efforts to build sustainable communities.

As a young woman who has been championing the role of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) in addressing the climate crisis at both the policy and practice level, I am convinced of the transformative power of inclusive learning opportunities for promoting climate action. I am pleased to have been witness to countless initiatives that clearly demonstrate how young people, in particular, are well-placed to act as powerful agents of change, fostering climate learning in a range of spaces – from classrooms to local festivals. We are, and will continue to be, disproportionately affected by the consequences of the climate crisis, inheriting a host of sustainability challenges in our communities. From increasingly extreme weather events to health hazards associated with climate change, we will face a wide variety of difficulties for years to come – at a time when we are witnessing the largest youth generation in history, according to the UN.

Lifelong learning (LLL) is increasingly viewed as a key component of our global mission to tackle the climate crisis and build regenerative communities. This was highlighted at the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference (COP 29) last year through the Baku Initiative on Human Development for Climate Resilience – a global commitment aimed at advancing human development and strengthening climate resilience through education and learning. The initiative notes that ‘education is a key enabler for innovative solutions to climate change by ensuring that people are empowered with the knowledge, skills, values and attitudes needed to act as agents of change’ (p. 2). In local communities worldwide, we as young change agents are both promoting and benefiting from inclusive LLL opportunities that foster climate action.

As the UN notes, we are ‘valuable contributors to climate action’. Our creativity, drive and passion for addressing global challenges as lifelong learners are ensuring that we, the youth, are at the forefront of many efforts to fight climate change. This is reflected in our engagement in awareness-raising campaigns, local decision-making structures and non-formal learning programmes.

Across the globe, structures are in place to support us in our efforts as agents of change working towards a greener society. Examples include the UNESCO Youth Climate Action Network, the World Organization of the Scout Movement’s emphasis on protecting the environment and the Youth and United Nations Global Alliance (YUNGA).

In addition to these, inspiring initiatives have been established to equip specific sub-groups of youth to act as changemakers in their communities. For example, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and partners, including UIL, organized a summer camp to equip young educators to confidently teach climate change education in the context of COP 29. Meanwhile, members of the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities (GNLC) are advancing tailored efforts to work with us young people to promote LLL for climate action.

Ahead of the Sixth International Conference on Learning Cities (ICLC 6), hosted in Jubail, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in December 2024, UIL organized a youth forum. This brought together young changemakers and local government officials from across the globe to explore topics related to LLL for climate action. I was very pleased to have taken part in this event, during which a series of recommendations were made on working with youth to advance awareness-raising campaigns, address climate anxiety and develop inclusive decision-making processes. I was particularly struck by the energy, enthusiasm and commitment of the young representatives participating, as well as by the concrete actions they were already taking in cities worldwide to promote climate action among individuals of all ages. Potential ways forward shared by participants were both creative and innovative, but also rooted in local realities, while demonstrating a clear awareness of key challenges we continue to face.

Recommendations from the youth forum were reflected in the ICLC 6 outcome document, the Jubail Commitment to Climate Action in Learning Cities. This calls for young people to be given ‘spaces and funding for youth-led projects, networks and climate advocacy initiatives’ (p. 3). I firmly believe that such spaces have great scope to help in addressing issues like climate anxiety, by providing arenas for solidarity, exchanging on common concerns and co-creating constructive, action-oriented solutions. It is also worth mentioning that the Jubail Commitment recommends fostering learning opportunities that harness new technologies and align with the communication styles of younger generations – something that is key to engaging with diverse youth groups in communities worldwide.

While working with youth as change agents presents many opportunities, there are also risks. One is the risk of tokenism, whereby collaborating with younger generations is treated as a ‘tick box to be checked’ (p. 7). As a young person myself, I find tokenistic approaches not only frustrating, but also potentially demotivating, in some instances. Consistently involving us young people in decision-making processes, giving us the tools to set up our own climate learning programmes and truly recognizing our value as changemakers are key to avoiding this. We have a lot to bring to the table – including creative, innovative strategies that integrate digital technologies to pragmatic solutions to make climate action more inclusive. In this sense, establishing youth climate councils or youth forums can also be fruitful.

It is also important to avoid placing the entire burden of fostering LLL for climate action on us young people, which could potentially stoke climate anxiety. Intergenerational learning opportunities that engage older learners, younger learners and everyone in between can help to distribute responsibility more fairly.

Finally, in some communities, certain sub-groups of youth may face barriers to accessing climate learning opportunities. Empowering young people from diverse backgrounds to drive LLL for climate action is not just beneficial – it is essential. By implementing targeted outreach strategies, interactive workshops and dynamic learning programmes, we can transform this vision into reality.

Partnering with us as catalysts for change can help to ensure that LLL for climate action is deeply embedded in society. There is a need to act now – the sooner we can all work together effectively through a systemic approach, the sooner our individual actions will add up to drive forward cohesive climate action. By acting swiftly, we increase our chances of saving our oceans, forests, biodiversity, and the ecosystems that depend on them. Equipping us with the knowledge and skills to lead the way will not only strengthen our competencies but also lay the foundation for more sustainable, resilient communities in which we can all work collaboratively to build a regenerative future together.