We must support, equip and invest in future generations – here’s how 

Half of the world’s population is under the age of 30. 

This is the generation inheriting the impacts of the climate crisis, with rising global temperatures increasingly fuelling extreme weather, environmental degradation, food and water insecurity, natural disasters and conflict. 

Despite this, young people are poorly represented in politics, and – as COP29 UK Youth Delegate, Samia Dumbuya, outlines here – face multiple barriers to accessing and participating meaningfully in decision-making processes. At the same time, youth feel let down by political leaders, with studies showing that inadequate government responses to the climate crisis are exacerbating feelings of eco-anxiety and betrayal. 

So how do we break this cycle? There is already vast evidence of the success of youth movements, innovating and organising based on their knowledge, ingenuity and unique lived experiences of climate challenges. By meaningfully collaborating with youth, and offering support, investment and amplification where it is needed, we can truly make progress towards a more sustainable, equitable future.

Tailored support for youth 

With journeys into activism beginning at increasingly younger ages, youth may struggle to access the education and training they need. Within the formal education system, we are seeing growing awareness around the need to educate and upskill the next generation around climate issues – spearheaded by youth movements including Teach the Future, a student-led campaign to reform the UK education system around climate justice and sustainability. 

Beyond this, how can we support young people who are already working to transform their futures? 

Enter Generation Earth Minutes (GEM), a new programme developed by youth-led collective Earth Minutes. GEM is a four-month, free, online climate communications programme aiming to build and mobilise a new generation of creative climate communicators.  

We are thrilled to have helped to bring this project to life. Greenhouse founder Anna Guyer has been an advisor since GEM’s inception, and I have supported with developing and presenting a masterclass for the training programme, called ‘How to turn the tide on climate narratives’. 

This masterclass has been a real labour of love, guided and informed by some of Greenhouse’s proudest youth collaborations, including working with the Global Legal Action Network to amplify the Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Other States case, (more widely known as Youth4Climate Justice). Providing our communications expertise to amplify the insights and experiences of young people is one way that we can effectively support youth climate efforts.

Funding youth climate action

Financial support continues to be one of the most important mechanisms to support youth climate action. Despite the crucial role that young people are playing in developing and implementing climate solutions, youth climate movements only receive 0.76% of global climate philanthropic funding from the largest climate foundations. 

As well as directly funding programmes like GEM, and offering pro bono communications support to youth campaigns, we are delighted to work with initiatives like the Iris Project, which awards financial grants of up to $15,000 USD to youth-led projects. Prize winners also receive peer-to-peer mentoring, including support from an Advisory Panel comprised of international young leaders.

Dedicated pathways to decision-making

From global policy fora to their own institutions and workplaces, youth are often excluded from decision-making processes – despite these decisions having a significant impact on their lives. 

The Children and Youth Pavilion at COP is a great example of youth successfully lobbying for stronger inclusion and representation on a global scale. First appearing at the international climate conference COP27 in Egypt, and again at COP28 in Dubai, the Children and Youth Pavilion has been run entirely by and for young people, centering youth views, demands and experiences. Greenhouse has provided training and communications support, including facilitating media interviews and creating social media content on-the-ground, to help amplify the work of individual youth leaders, and the Pavilion as a collective. 

As a result of the Pavilion’s work, negotiators at COP28 agreed to institutionalise the role of the Presidency Youth Climate Champion within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) process, to enhance the meaningful participation and representation of youth in future COPs. 

On a smaller scale, we are witnessing a shift towards organisations across the climate movement recruiting ‘youth advisors’ to join their boards and committees. This has potential to invite real insight, expertise and critique from young people – but it is essential that organisations genuinely value youth inputs as part of these processes, and adequately compensate young people for their time and labour.

Collaborating with and supporting youth is a necessity for building an equitable and sustainable future. Young people are powerful voices in the climate movement – bringing innovative ideas, passion, and a fresh perspective that enriches decision-making processes at every level.  

Greenhouse is committed to amplifying youth voices through our extensive network of young leaders – providing the tools, resources, and guidance they need to make meaningful impact. By working together, we can ensure that youth are not just included but empowered to shape the climate solutions of tomorrow.