Children and youth participation in climate assemblies webinar - takeaways and resources

 

From local events to international meetups across the world, climate assemblies are becoming all the more common and pressing. Child Rights International Network, Youth Environment Europe and the Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies came together to host a webinar that highlights the impact of children and young people in these spaces.

 
 

Children and youth are particularly vulnerable to the long-term impacts of the climate crisis. Environmental degradation including air and water pollution, extreme weather events and climate change disproportionately affect the world’s younger populations. Developing bodies can be more sensitive to harmful pollutants - and children and young people will be experiencing the effects of climate change for far longer than the adults responsible. The climate crisis threatens children’s access to education, food security, healthcare, access to clean and safe spaces, as well as having a profound impact on their mental health.

Children and youth have a vested interest in ensuring the planet remains liveable for their own communities and for generations to come. As they grow up, they will face the consequences of environmental decisions made by adults throughout history. The common desire for a future that is safe, healthy and sustainable is an issue of both justice and prevention.

While events such as the climate COP (Conference of Parties) can be important spaces for children to speak up about environmental issues, these cannot be the only times when children’s voices are heard. Meaningful discussions at multiple levels of governance must be nurtured, with a wider representation from children not only of varying ages but inclusive of children regardless of their citizenship status, class or location. We must ensure when organisational bodies use the word ‘participation’ that it isn’t only a way to ‘check off’ boxes. Children can and should be involved in our democratic processes. Climate assemblies are just one way to include them.

Connecting assembly members, government officials, participatory designers and facilitators - as well as researchers from local, national and global citizens’ assemblies from across the world - our co-webinar discussed the processes and outcomes of climate assemblies, looking to inform and inspire anyone interested in children’s rights.

The recorded event is also available to watch and share on CRIN’s Vimeo. 

Speakers included: 

  • Lianne Minasian, Co-Director at CRIN (Co-Moderator) 

  • Emma Pagliarusco, Advocacy Coordinator for YEE (Co-Moderator)

  • Professor Graham Smith, Chair of the Knowledge Network on Climate Assemblies (KNOCA)

  • Katie Reid, Child Participation Lead - Scotland’s Climate Assembly / Children and Young People’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss - Ireland

  • Malcolm Noonan T.D., Minister of State for Nature, Heritage and Electoral Reform - Ireland

  • Oisín, Assembly member, Children and Young People’s Assembly on Biodiversity Loss - Ireland

  • Aishwarya Machani, United Nations Advocacy Co-Lead at Iswe Foundation / Global Citizens’ Assembly Network (GloCAN)

  • Kartik Verma, UNICEF Youth Advocate - India Advisor

  • Bella Poll, Youth Co-Lead of Millenium Kids’ Youth-Led Climate Assembly - Perth, Australia

  • Che Wagner, Programme Lead, Zukunftsrat U24 - Switzerland, Pro Futuris

Key takeaways

  • Citizens’ assemblies on the climate crisis must consider how to best include children and youth to ensure true citizen representation. Children and young people are citizens now, as well as future citizens who will be impacted by the decisions made today.

  • Many climate decision-making spaces are not accessible to, nor inclusive of, children and young people - particularly at the global levels. Climate assemblies can be a positive way to ensure children and young people have opportunities to influence decisions being made at all levels of governance. Future global climate assemblies might also help us to address the chronic lack of child and youth representation at the global level. 

  • As assemblies in Scotland, Ireland, Switzerland, Australia and other countries have shown, the impacts of involving children and youth in climate assemblies are wide ranging. These impacts include:

    • increased climate literacy and sustainable behaviour changes among children and young people, as well as in their families, schools and communities;

    • strengthened intergenerational learning, relationships and understanding

    • enhanced legitimacy of assembly recommendations;

    • and climate policies that better reflect the interests of all current generations.

  • Creating a safe, positive and inclusive space during assemblies is key to ensuring that every participant can share their views, ideas and experiences. There are unique, practical, safeguarding, ethical and design considerations when involving children and youth, which can and should be navigated by collaborating with child and youth organisations with expertise in these fields. 

  • Involving children and young people in the design, agenda setting and facilitation of climate assemblies ensures that process and outcomes best reflect their needs and interests; this makes their addition a meaningful experience for all involved. 

  • Climate assemblies are allowed to be interactive and engaging! Using creative, participatory methods like drama, play, future visioning, art and even getting outside into nature helps children and youth (as well as adults) to connect with each other and their environment. They can learn, deliberate, have fun and develop innovative, out-of-the box ideas in wilder spaces. Creativity means that everyone can express themselves in their own, unique way. 

  • Climate assemblies should empower and support younger citizens to take forward and implement their own climate actions, as well as informing and influencing climate decision-making policies.  

Resources

We know there is a lot of interest in climate assemblies and in areas related to climate justice, including forming new partnerships and connections to develop this work further.

We would greatly appreciate your feedback on the webinar, and any comments, ideas or requests you may have for us, using our short form linked here.

 
English, Read, WatchChild Rights International NetworkCivil and political rights, Climate crisisComment