Policy | Connect4Climate

Keep Tabs on All Things COY16 and COP26 With This Handy Reference

Carrying forward all the amazing momentum from the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition

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COY16 (Oct. 28-31)

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The <a href="https://unfccc.int/topics/education-and-youth/youngo/coy">Conference of Youth (COY)</a> is an entirely youth-led conference organised by <a href="https://www.youthpolicy.org/blog/structures/conference-of-youth/" target="_blank">YOUNGO</a>, the official youth constituency of the UNFCCC. For sixteen years, the outcomes of COY have played a vital role in shaping UNFCCC priorities. This year, COY16 will take place from Oct. 28-31 at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow and will be attended by nearly 500 young people and high-level representatives.

The four days of activity will consist of three ceremonies (Opening, Closing, and Gala), six plenaries, and countless sessions and talks on disparate avenues for climate action. Guests can also expect a Green Jobs Fair on Thursday and a climate education summit on Saturday. Last but not least, the COY will feature a dedicated space for the creation of climate-conscious art and an art gallery where such works will be exhibited.

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"The Salt in Our Waters" Screening, COY16 (Oct. 29, 15:00, University of Strathclyde Auditorium)

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The youth delegates attending the COY will be invited to an exclusive screening of <a href="https://saltwatersfilm.com/" target="_blank">"The Salt in Our Waters,"</a> a film from director Rezwan Shahriar Sumit whose narrative centers on climate impacts on fishing communities along the Bangladeshi coast.

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Global Youth Statement (Oct. 31)

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The Global Youth Statement is a policy document compiled entirely by youth. Developed over a series of consultative processes with young climate champions from across the world, this statement represents the collective demands and expectations of the youth attending COP26. The document will be finalized at COY16 and travel from there to COP26. It will be translated into all five other UN languages as well, showcasing the inclusivity of the statement.

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YOUNGO Stall, COP26, Green Zone (Oct. 31-Nov. 12)

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YOUNGO is hosting a small exhibition space in the Green Zone to showcase the work of young climate leaders around the world.

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World Bank Group Events, COP26, Joint MDB Pavilion (Nov. 1-12)

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The World Bank Group will take part in key discussions over the course of the COP and will put on focused events on topics such as green finance, climate-smart agriculture, and energy transition. These events will be live-streamed, so even if you're not attending the COP, you can tune in! <a href="https://live.worldbank.org/wbgatcop26" target="_blank">Sign up for email reminders and add these events to your calendar now.</a>

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Climate Crisis Film Festival, Online (Nov. 1-14)

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"The Climate Crisis Film Festival showcases stunning, diverse, and eye-opening cinema, providing a systemic perspective behind the raw human stories of climate change." Wherever you are in the world, you can tune in for this amazing two-week event: <a href="https://www.climatecrisisff.co.uk/#register" target="_blank">Sign up for the online experience</a> at no cost today! An awards ceremony on the ground in Glasgow on Nov. 12 will signal the wind-down of the festival.

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"An Intergenerational Conversation Among Women and Youth in the Climate Change & Agriculture Arena," COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 1, 10:30-12:00 UTC)

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Hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), this dynamic event will put climate, agriculture, and gender experts in conversation with youth representatives from both policy-level and grassroots backgrounds. From female agriculture experts in training to become UNFCCC negotiators to international youth activists, contributors will share their lived experiences of building resilience towards climate change while working to heal the planet. Interactive elements include a virtual icebreaker using Mentimeter polls and a panelist Q&A.

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"Climate Change Action: The YOUNGO Approach," COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 1, 12:00-13:30 UTC)

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This event will look back on the YOUNGO initiatives that paved the way to COP26, showcasing meaningful youth engagements and illustrating how to avoid tokenism.

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"The Role of Indigenous Peoples and Their Communities in Nature-Based Solutions," COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 3, 12:00-13:30)

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Hosted by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), the Coordinator of Indigenous Organizations of the Amazon Basin (COICA), and Law, Environment and Natural Resources (DAR), this event will highlight the vital role of indigenous peoples and their territories in the development and implementation of government climate commitments towards a green, fair, and resilient recovery from COVID 19. Speakers from COICA will be joined for this special dialogue by indigenous and institutional representatives.

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"Youth Unstoppable Screening," Extreme Hangout, COP26, Ferry (Nov. 3, 19:00-20:30)

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Join Day 3 of the ferry-bound Extreme Hangout program for a special screening of Slater-Jewell Kemker's "Youth Unstoppable," an inspiring documentary on the work young people are doing all over the world to drive climate action and a clarion call to world leaders to heed youth's advice and make decisive policy commitments. <a href="https://www.extremehangoutevents.com/day3" target="_blank">Tickets available here</a>.

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“Global Youth Energy Outlook Launch: Effectively Partnering With Youth on Climate Action,” COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 4, 12:00-13:30)

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Join Student Energy for the launch of the inaugural Global Youth Energy Outlook report. Youth are calling for leaders in all sectors to move beyond tokenism and engage with youth through equitable and meaningful partnerships. How can decision-makers work with youth to accelerate climate action and the sustainable energy transition? The Global Youth Energy Outlook presents insights from 30,000+ youth from around the world on what young people envision for their energy future and how they want to work with decision-makers to get there. The GYEO Launch will feature an intergenerational and global lineup of speakers who will outline how the GYEO can be effectively mobilized at the grassroots level, within government institutions, and in the energy sector. Learn more about Student Energy and the Global Youth Energy Outlook <a href="https://studentenergy.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.

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Youth Day: Headline Event, COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 5, 10:00-11:15 UTC)

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In a special event titled "Unifying for Change: The global youth voice at COP26," YOUNGO will present the Global Youth Statement, a document reflecting the cumulative output of the Local, Regional, Virtual and Global Conferences of Youth. This Statement will showcase the positions of global youth on climate action and direct key demands at the policy leaders attending COP26. The event will conclude with a handover of the document from young people to decision-makers.

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Youth Day: Intergenerational Inquiry, COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 5, 12:00-13:30 UTC)

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Led by YOUNGO, "Intergenerational Inquiry: Youth Stepping Up Climate Action" will bring together climate leaders from four generations, inviting them to share their experiences with one another and arrive at insights into how climate action has evolved over time. At the core of the event will be a spirit of mutual learning and a shared commitment to upscaling climate action.

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Policymaking for Future Generations: A Blueprint For A Green Future, COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 5, 13:30-14:30)

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One Young World, the global forum for young leaders, in collaboration with the Future Generations Commission for Wales, is hosting an immersive youth-focused panel on the road to net zero. Join in for a dynamic discussion between expert speakers and young leaders on the future of sustainable development and the essential role young people will play in attaining a net-zero future.

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"Together for Tomorrow: Education and Climate Action," COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 5, 16:00-17:30 UTC)

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This joint event will convene education ministers, climate ministers, and young people for a discussion of the importance of education in creating climate-positive futures. Ministers will report out on the state of exisiting commitments to climate education and address the work that remains to be done. The UK Department for Education will host this event in partnership with Italy, UNESCO, Youth4Climate and Mock COP. Catch the livestream <a href="http://ow.ly/6xPk50GGAwH" target="_blank">here</a>!

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Youth4Climate at COP26, COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 5, 17:30-18:30)

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Italian Minister of Ecological Transition Roberto Cingolani and COP26 President Designate Alok Sharma will facilitate a discussion on the <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiative/unpacking-youth4climate-dele…; target="_blank">outcomes</a> of the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition summit in Milan. Youth representatives and ministers will come together to assess and act on the demands articulated in the <a href="https://www.mite.gov.it/sites/default/files/archivio_immagini/Y4C_COP-P…; target="_blank">Youth4Climate Manifesto</a>.

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"Youth Unstoppable" Screening + Discussion, COP26, NYT Climate Hub, The Forum (Nov. 5, 19:30-22:30 GMT)

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The New York Times Climate Hub will host a screening of Slater Jewell-Kemker's powerful film "Youth Unstoppable," which charts the rise of the youth climate movement, young champions' actions around the world, and their demands of world leaders. Director Slater Jewell-Kemker herself, a longtime friend and partner of C4C, will be Skyping in after the screening for an exclusive Q&A session.

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"Unlocking Climate Solutions: From the Pacific Islands to the Arctic, Why Indigenous Knowledge Must Take Centre Stage," COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 8, 10:00-11:30, Cinema Auditorium)

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One Young World, the global forum for young leaders, in collaboration with the British Museum and the Republic of Palau, is hosting an immersive panel discussion on the symbiotic relationship between people and nature, highlighting the importance of amplifying and learning from the voices and work of Indigenous communities when it comes to the safeguarding of our natural world. Featuring speakers hailing from both Arctic and Pacific Island communities, this panel will serve to highlight key learnings in adaptation and resilience from these two unique regions.

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"The Great Green Wall" Screening + Q&A, COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 8, 12:30-14:30, Cinema Auditorium)

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Join Hogan Lovells & the Great Green Wall Frontline team on a music-driven cinematic journey along Africa's Great Green Wall. The <a href="https://ukcop26.org/the-conference/green-zone-programme-of-events/" target="_blank">screening</a> of Jared P. Scott's powerful climate documentary will be followed by a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCCV_X0ImEM" target="_blank">live-streamed panel discussion</a> on how you can get involved in this ambitious movement of growth and renewal, featuring Malian musician and climate activist Inna Modja.

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Public "The Salt in Our Waters" Screening, COP26, Green Zone (Nov. 8, 18:00, Cinema Auditorium)

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Members of the general public are invited to <a href="https://greenzonetickets.ukcop26.org/home" target="_blank">reserve tickets</a> to this COP26 IMAX screening of Rezwan Shahriar Sumit's "The Salt in Our Waters."

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Little Amal Arrives at COP26, Blue Zone (Nov. 9, 11:00)

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Little Amal, a larger-than-life Syrian refugee girl, will stand at the centre of power at the Blue Zone Gender Day Plenary with delegates from every country represented at COP. She will meet members of the Green New Deal Alliance and tour the Blue Zone to connect with other delegates.

At 13:00, Amal will walk from the Blue Zone across the iconic ‘Squiggly Bridge’ to the banks of the Green Zone with young activists including Luisa Neubauer, KC Shreya, Elizabeth Wathuti and Farzana Faruk as well as actress and activist Katja Reimann. She'll be accompanied by a Soundscape of young leaders' voices collected by Connect4Climate at the Youth4Climate: Drving Ambition summit in Milan.

Then, at 14:00, Good Chance, the producers of the Little Amal project, will discuss migrant justice and climate justice in a special session featuring guests from 350.org, Choose Love, Mishcon de Reya LLP, the Democracy and Culture Foundation, and One Young World's Global Climate Inquiry as well as Youth4Climate leader Elizabeth Wathuti and acclaimed author Onjali Rauf.

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Little Amal's Journey Continues (Nov. 10, 11:30)

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In an event put on by Good Chance in partnership with the National Theatre of Scotland, Citizens Theatre, and Perth Theatre, Little Amal will walk the banks of the River Clyde alongside over 160 schoolchildren bearing banners with their demands and dreams for a sustainable future. The children will then combine their work to form a collective banner filling a wall at Anderston Quay and will plant seed pods together in a moment of collective and connected action, with each seed representing a young person affected by the climate crisis.

At 13:30, Little Amal will journey through the historic community of Govan accompanied by a ten-metre-high sea goddess puppet called STORM, created by Vision Mechanics from recycled and natural materials.

Finally, Amal will weave through the centre of Glasgow alongside a diverse group of 150 performers, with sound design by Matthew Herbert, movement direction by Nat McCleary and Robby Graham, and costume design by Sabrina Henry.

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Little Amal Bids Glasgow Farewell, COP26, NYT Climate Hub (Nov. 11, 18:00)

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As the finale of the New York Times Climate Hub, Amal will stand in the centre of Es Devlin’s <a href="https://www.dezeen.com/2021/09/30/es-devlin-conference-of-trees-install…; target="_blank">"Conference of the Trees" installation</a> holding a burnt tree signifying the burning forests she traversed in Turkey and Greece. Young climate activists from around the world will join her at her side.

Unpacking the #Youth4Climate Delegates’ Asks for Urgent Climate Action

UPDATE: The #Youth4Climate Manifesto is now officially complete.

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Youth Driving Ambition

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The first theme the young delegates tackled in their working groups was one very close to home for them: Youth Driving Ambition. Their challenge was to find ways to increase youth participation at the local, national and global scales, and they tackled it with a three-pronged approach.

The delegates’ opening request to world leaders was that they work to ensure Meaningful Participation by youth in future climate negotiations, giving young representatives from around the world the chance to voice their lived experiences and ideas and make a real impact on international climate policy.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m-oXvzixTiw]

Next was a request for Capacity Building support: the provision of financial, administrative, and logistical resources to empower young people at the local level with the means to effectively express themselves on climate issues.

The crucial third component to the delegates’ Youth Driving Ambition proposal was Funding: they urgently requested the allocation of public and private monies to support youth participation in decision-making on climate.

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Sustainable Recovery

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Theme 2 on the young delegates’ docket was Sustainable Recovery: How can we build back from COVID-19 in a way that is sustainable and respectful of our planet’s needs?

At the heart of the team’s proposal here was a bold 2030 target for the global energy transition. Recognizing that the 2050 targets we have seen so far would be inadequate to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees, the delegates made a compelling case for 2030, calling for collaborative research and tech development coupled with a steady rollout of well-paying green jobs to keep economies moving.

Acknowledging that we are already seeing severe climate impacts in vulnerable parts of the world, the young people also called for support in tailoring the implementation of adaptation and resilience measures to marginalized communities in these regions. Equity means working hardest for those most in need.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRCS8WrXGgE]

The delegates also demanded that world leaders respect the rights of indigenous communities as well as their deep heritage and expertise, and called for ramped-up development of nature-based solutions in consultation with these groups.

The team went on to call for a “transparent and accountable climate finance system with robust regulation of carbon emissions,” noting the need to support renewable energy with substantial investment and drive development in that direction.

Finally, the youth homed in on the recovering global tourism sector, with a special focus on smaller countries whose economies hinge on tourist activity. The delegates called for the inclusion of youth, women, indigenous peoples and other marginalized groups in a concerted multilateral effort to support these nations in their recoveries while ensuring the brand of tourism they rebuild is sustainable and compatible with a green future.

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Non-State Actors’ Engagement

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Pivoting to Non-State Actors’ Engagement, the youth delegation asked world leaders to improve infrastructure and access to financial mechanisms in developing countries to facilitate the engagement of entrepreneurs, artists, farmers and athletes from underrepresented communities in the push toward sustainability.

The delegates also requested that private-sector companies be held accountable for their carbon emissions via the implementation of a robust reporting-and-assessment system rewarding committed strides toward net zero emissions while penalizing those who take little or no action.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHfCJybzw9k]

Doubling down on their demand for the eradication of the fossil fuel industry by 2030, the youth made a compelling case for a decentralized global transition respecting the needs of minority communities in every region of the world while steadily advancing every such region along the road to net zero.

In anticipation of pushback from the fossil fuel industry, the delegates exhorted world leaders, private sector businesspeople and creatives to reject any sponsorships or cash infusions from fossil fuel companies and instead commit themselves fully to going green.

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Climate-Conscious Society

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The final topic up for discussion was Climate-Conscious Society: How can we improve awareness of the climate crisis and give citizens of the world the tools they need to take action?

First off, the delegates stressed that world leaders must continue to create spaces for young people at the highest levels of policy-making and “support the creation of multi-stakeholder platforms and mechanisms for sharing climate information and solutions.”

This segued into a discussion of the vital role of education in driving climate engagement, with the youth delegation urgently requesting targeted financial support for the creation and implementation of climate-conscious curricula around the world. They stressed the need for case-by-case approaches that are respectful and representative of indigenous communities and other marginalized groups and called for the creation of more internships, exchanges and other opportunities in conjunction with empowering lessons in the classroom.

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_V8cPZyGrFY]

To mobilize members of the general public, the assembled youth leaders suggested the development of a sweeping outreach initiative using “arts, sports, entertainment, community leaders, influencers, and social media” to develop tailored messaging to most effectively ramp up climate engagement in specific regions around the world.

Rounding out the delegates’ presentation was a section on the role of media in shaping the climate narrative. Acknowledging news outlets’ outsized ability to sway public opinion on climate, the youth leaders called for a new international training regimen for journalists focused on harnessing modern platforms to communicate the severity of climate science to a wide audience in a way that’s both accessible and actionable.

Such a program would also serve to prepare journalists for the misinformation around climate they are apt to encounter on the job and equip them to call out greenwashing and inequity where they arise.

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Mapping Out #DrivingAmbition in Milan

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Nearly 400 young climate champions from all over the world are about to flock to Milan for the three days of #Youth4Climate: #DrivingAmbition taking place ahead of Pre-COP26.

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September 28

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<li>#Youth4Climate: #DrivingAmbition kicks off at 10:00 AM Italian time. Youth leaders Vanessa Nakate and Greta Thunberg will be setting the tone with keynote addresses. Look out for coverage on socials!</li>
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<li>After the opening plenary, dedicated working groups will discuss each of the four guiding themes, developing ideas to include in their proposals to world leaders. The youth delegates will spend the rest of the day developing first drafts of their proposals and assessing their progress.</li>
</ul>

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<li>September 28 is also the <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiative/film4climate-and-drivingambi…; target="_blank">"day of cinema" within the All4Climate calendar</a>. Connect4Climate will accept the Venice Film Festival's Green Drop Award, and Flore Vasseur's documentary "Bigger Than Us" will be screened for the youth delegates with an introduction from its subject, Melati Wijsen. The general public will be invited to enjoy a Film4Climate event at Milan's IULM University, presided over by leading Italian film critic Gianni Canova.</li>
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September 29

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<li>Day 2 of #DrivingAmbition will feature a special ministerial event on climate education in which delegates will have the chance to engage with Ministers of Education from around the world to develop novel strategies for bringing climate into classrooms and improving public awareness.</li>
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<li>Upon the conclusion of that event at 3:00 PM Italian time, delegates will work together to refine their ideas from Day 1 and commit to final drafts of their theme-specific proposals for world leaders.</li>
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<li>The youth delegates' proposals, aggregated into a unified document, will be formally adopted in a closing plenary at 5:00 PM Italian time.</li>
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September 30

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<li>The morning of Day 3, following remarks from UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres as well as prime ministers Mario Draghi (Italy) and Boris Johnson (UK), each youth working group will present key elements of its proposal in turn.</li>
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<li>Then, in a concluding plenary moderated by Jayathma Wickramanayake, the UN Secretary-General's Envoy on Youth, ministers will offer their initial thoughts on the youth delegates' ideas and engage them in a dynamic Q&A session. This marks the end of the #DrivingAmbition event!</li>
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<li>At 9:00 PM Italian time, an amazing #Music4Climate concert kicks off. Details below!</li>
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#Music4Climate Concert

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<li>An unforgettable #Music4Climate concert featuring Rockin'1000, the world's largest rock band, will begin in Milan at 9:00 PM Italian time on September 30.</li>
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<li>The event will be globally live-streamed on A-Live in media partnership with Sky, so wherever you are, you can tune in!</li>
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<li>A set of iconic songs in the spirit of climate positivity will be performed by 100 musicians from all over the world rocking out onstage together. Help us transition from #DrivingAmbition to the Pre-COP in style!</li>
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In South India’s Fashion Production Centers, Environmental Neglect Is a Curse That Must Be Cleansed

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A Note From the Author: My work as a fashion designer brought me to Tiruppur on several occasions in 2005, during which time I learned firsthand about the situation I paint with this article—one that shamefully persists to this day. The specific people described are fictitious, but their stories are very real, based on direct accounts from residents of the town's outskirts.
Rani wakes at 5:00 AM on the dot and drowsily tiptoes over the other members of her family, taking pains not to touch them with her feet—a mark of disrespect in India. She can’t help but graze the children, apologizing under her breath.
The shanty she shares with her parents, grandparents and four siblings has just one wicker cot, occupied by her grandfather: the head of the household. She and the rest make do with the baked floor, upon which a few sheets are strewn.
Carefully undoing the latch of the iron door, which creaks and groans with rust, thirteen-year-old Rani stealthily makes her way to the empty cow shed, grabs a small pail of water she set there the previous night, and washes her face.
Photo by Runa Ray.
Rani hurriedly brushes her teeth with some powder, slips on her sandals, grabs two five-gallon buckets, and steels herself for the journey ahead. She will walk six miles, past Black lake and over the rubble of an aborted construction project to the fresh water pump in the neighboring village. Drinking water is only available for a few hours each morning; if she arrives late, she will return home empty-handed.
Rani secretly wishes the Black Lake would give her fresh water. it would save her the arduous journey and the long wait every morning. But she has known the lake since her birth... and it has always been black.
...
Rani’s family is one of many whose lifestyles have been upturned by industrialization. They belong to a marginalized community on the outskirts of Tiruppur that does not have the socioeconomic and political means to oppose large corporations, making them easy targets of discriminatory environmental policies and leaving them vulnerable to the associated health impacts.
Formerly a low-profile agricultural town, Tiruppur is now the knitwear capital of India, accounting for 90% of the country’s cotton knitwear exports. One of many fashion production hubs in South India, it is the livelihood of thousands of workers and over the past three decades has contributed massively to the Indian economy.
The everyday citizens of Tiruppur—residents of the hinterlands in particular—have long been victims of the factories’ indiscriminate discharge of industrial effluents into local bodies of water. These effluents contain chemicals and dyes in large concentrations and come with all manner of negative health effects. Local companies release the waste clandestinely through storm drains, masking their activities with the cover of night or heavy rainfall.
Photo by Denniz Futalan (Pexels).
I’ve gotten to visit this famed city on several occasions in my career, and the hardworking people there never fail to impress me. But their livelihoods come at a tremendous cost.
I vividly remember walking through the markets on Sundays and taking in the heaps of big-brand goods deemed unfit for export. Clothes you would pay top dollar for overseas were piled high in small shops in the labyrinth of roads and sold on the basis of weight rather than by the piece.
Scores of provocative pieces meant for Western buyers—spaghetti-strap dresses, lingerie—would accumulate on shelves, gathering dust in a town of modest working-class people. Across South India and beyond, the story is the same: second-hand retailers buy garment factory rejects in bulk, then struggle to offload the impractical clothes designed for Western consumers.
Predictably, almost all of these garments end up in landfills.
The operations of fashion companies in towns like Tiruppur thus create an intersection of social and environmental concerns: workers are paid low wages, unused garments pour into landfills, and lakes and rivers grow thick with toxic waste products.
Photo by Denniz Futalan (Pexels).
The members of these communities generally do not have the political capital to resist corporate incursions into their land, nor the socioeconomic status to flee when their situations sour. Meanwhile, those in wealthier regions can divert waste and impure drinking water into communities like Tiruppur with impunity, exacerbating miscarriages, birth defects and disease as the years wear on.
This sort of socioeconomic discrimination—which often correlates with racial discrimination—can be found even at the highest levels of policymaking, where government officials view cheap tracts of land with low populations as prime locations for polluting factories.
How can the fashion industry work to prevent these catastrophic effects and atone for the damage it has already done?
For one, these brands need to commit to communities, not just exploit the land and leave. It is common for companies to swoop into a factory for a single season of production, then abandon it when they find better deals elsewhere. This needs to end. Brands should respect the communities where they produce, investing not just in bare-minimum factory compliance but also in wastewater treatment, emissions reductions, and circular production to avoid wasting clothes.
Photo by Tom Fisk (Pexels).
Such measures would go a long way toward preventing large-scale damage to communities and their environments.
Paying workers good wages instead of the lowest rates possible is another vital step. This would enable cities like Tiruppur to expand and develop rather than stagnate, and would give their people the political capital needed to stand up for themselves and make reasonable demands of their government. It’s only fair that the workers who form the backbone of a three-trillion-dollar industry have a real voice in their nation’s policymaking.
...
It was Rani’s grandmother who spoke of a village so pristine that you could see with perfect clarity white herons diving into the lake to snare writhing silver fish, kingfishers darting to and fro in the bubbly spring.
She recalled how Grandfather would take out his little raft, cast his line, and come home with the coveted ‘meen’ fish, which the family would fashion into a spicy curry to be eaten with rice and crisps.
And how before those grey cement garment factories arrived, the entire landscape was dotted with trees.
These wonderful stories of days long past were best listened to in the evenings by the dim light of a lamp, illustrated with the play of shadowy hands on the walls of the hut.
But the children knew the truth: the lake was always black, and fish was only found at the market.
Banner and thumbnail images by, respectively, Tom Fisk and Denniz Futalan (Pexels).

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A Much-Needed "Hard Talk" on Sustainable Fashion

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On July 7, 2021, against the backdrop of the UN’s High-level Political Fo

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The Youth Who Took Innovate4Climate 2021 By Storm

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When young people have the chance to take over and communicate the urgency of climate change with their own voices, the results are always str

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Youth Climate Lab Shares Key Insights from I4C Policy Jam

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In our work at Youth Climate Lab (YCL) over the past year, we've heard a number of discussions take place around COVID-19 recovery and youth.

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Takeaways—High-Level

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Both bottom-up and top-down approaches are needed to take action at the scale and scope that we need.
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However, individualization limits the community organization and mobilization that is possible. The focus on personal responsibility and profit must shift towards centring wellbeing, designing systemic interventions, and implementing measures of accountability. 
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Youth must be actively included in decision-making processes to: 

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inform the whole of economy/government/institution strategies;
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prevent the silo-ing of "youth" or "green" policies; and,
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break down barriers to additional youth involvement. 
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</ul>
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Comprehensive climate education, including basic knowledge of climate change, awareness of the social and economic benefits of climate solutions, policy literacy, and opportunities to engage with climate work, policies, and investment are critical. 
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A shift in how individuals and institutions view and value youth, our lived experiences, and our contributions is foundational to achieving anything. 
</li>
</ul>

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Takeaways—Skills

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Barriers*

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Lack of lobbying, climate-work, and networking experience limits youth engagement in community organizations and career development opportunities
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Countries in an economic crisis, bureaucratic roadblocks, corruption, resource-dependent economies, and profit-focused governments can slow progress towards transformative change 
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Systemic bias within financial sector and a mismatch in the understanding of systems, needs, and how they relate to youth slows financial investments in green industries and limits jobs and skill-development opportunities for youth
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</ul>

Solutions

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Lead by example for other members in your community
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Provide individual coaching, apprenticeships, and capacity-building projects and workshops for youth, particularly for sector-specific skills 
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Re-train of institutional decision-makers to improve understanding of interconnected and systemic issues
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Collaboration between youth networks, institutions, and governments to develop synergies (re: reskilling/upskilling) between climate action and sustainable solutions
</li>
</ul>

*Barriers to investment in sustainable & green jobs for young people.

<img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/SkillsJamBoard1.PNG" style="height:560px; width:1000px" />

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Takeaways—Policy

Description

Barriers*

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Entry in climate work often requires climate work experience, yet youth lack basic policy literacy
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Lack of transparency and accessibility in policy-making processes makes these spaces difficult to infiltrate and access
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Lack of trust in youth to make decisions, hold knowledge, and understand solutions
</li>
</ul>

Solutions

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Contextualize and address the individual needs of each community 
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Strengthen Indigenous, climate and polluter policies and divest from fossil fuels to increase the demand for and economic incentives towards skill-development, climate jobs, and educational reform
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Increase public-private partnerships to create funding for more opportunities for youth to pitch ideas to the government

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Policy literacy programs (e.g., student government) which give youth practice and confidence in policy-making
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Place more youth in decision-making bodies and surround them with the support, knowledge, skills, and connections they need
</li>
</ul>

*Barriers to investment in policy innovation & meaningful opportunities for youth to engage in policy.

<img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/PolicyJamBoard1.PNG" style="height:551px; width:1000px" />

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Takeaways—Finance

Description

Barriers*

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Inaccessibility of financing, networking, and entrepreneurship education
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
High interest rate loans and limited buckets of financing
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Unnecessary and difficult financial application processes
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Lack of social capital and connections
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Perception that climate solutions don’t have quick returns on investment (climate finance requires patient capital)
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Ageism and cultural perceptions about youth impede access to financial education and capital to innovate climate solutions 
</li>
</ul>

Solutions

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
International & multilateral institutions need more innovative and flexible mechanisms to lend money, as well as lowered taxation towards youth
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Foster relationships & partnerships between financial and academic institutions to educate investors and the public on the benefits of green solutions to climate change
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Create training & mentorship programs between politicians and young people to encourage young people to become elected officials 
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Increase awareness and education on the power of mobilizing youth in financial investment spaces 

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Offer free educational resources and mentorship programming for youth to build skills (e.g. job entry skills, networking tips, business plan support) 
</li>
</ul>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Shift public common sense to value lived experience as well as financial training
</li>
</ul>

*Barriers to investment in youth-led climate solutions.

<img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/FinanceJamBoard2.PNG" style="height:558px; width:1000px" />

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Conclusion

Description

We wrapped our session by encouraging participants to ground themselves in their own realities. Many of us are feeling overwhelmed, outraged, and optimistic right now, but we are most effective as advocates when we bring our full selves to the table – and use these feelings to guide how we innovate and transform the world.

We're grateful to all of the Young Climate Innovators participants who attended our session, and to our team of YCL staff and external facilitators who guided us through the discussions outlined here – your enthusiasm and insights have made this whole process exciting! Thanks as well to Connect4Climate for partnering with us, and to the Innovate4Climate team for hosting us.

Youth Climate Lab is a youth-for-youth global organization focused on transformative climate action. We design, pilot and scale projects to enable young people to build the just, climate-resilient futures they deserve.

Brynna Kagawa-Visentin (YCL Youth Financing Specialist) is an intersectional climate justice educator, facilitator, and thought leader whose work focuses on advocating for healthy ecosystems and communities. Naia Lee (YCL Communications Coordinator) is a facilitator, designer, and organizer who uses her passions for creating empathy, sharing stories, and scaling local action to contextualize the need for climate justice. 

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#DrivingAmbition: Sustainable Recovery

By

As nations begin to emerge from the Covid-19 public health crisis, we have a unique opportunity to build back better with a central emph

Sections

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Energy Transition and Green Jobs

Description

Transitioning to a low-carbon future starts with clean energy. The good news is that the emerging renewable energy sector—wind, solar, hydro—has the power to drive job creation worldwide.

Goal: This working group will generate proposals to drive the energy transition and foster green jobs in the wake of the pandemic.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Read our article on <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/article/sustainable-recovery-building-b…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">Sustainable Recovery</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Watch #Youth4ClimateLive <a href="https://youtu.be/EG20_RyOqVU" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Episode 2: Driving Sustainable Recovery</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="http://India’s Solar Learning Curve Inspires Action Across the World" target="_blank">"India’s Solar Learning Curve Inspires Action Across the World,"</a> a World Bank Feature Story on the hard but vital work of expanding solar energy infrastructure in India and beyond
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Check out what transpired at <a href="§%09https:/www.seforall.org/events/seforall-youth-summit-2021">SE4All’s 2021 Youth Summit</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Add your input to <a href="https://studentenergy.org/">Student Energy’s Global Youth Energy Outlook</a>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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Adaptation and Resilience

Description

Climate change is already here, and whatever changes we implement now will take decades to start undoing the damage. So even as we work to reimagine our economies and enshrine sustainability in policy, we must also address the realities of global warming that are facing us today.

Goal: This working group will focus on enhancing the role of youth in driving adaptation and resilience, in part by eliminating barriers to entry.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Read Connect4Climate’s article on <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/article/adaptation-resilience-collectiv…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">Adaptation and Resilience</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Watch #Youth4ClimateLive <a href="https://youtu.be/hPXbGd7iOXk" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Episode 8: Driving Adaptation and Resilience</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read the <a href="https://gca.org/reports/global-youth-call-to-action-adapt-for-our-futur… Youth Call to Action: Adapt for our Future</a> report
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read about the <a href="https://gca.org/youth-in-climate-adaptation-moving-towards-the-digitali…; target="_blank">digitalization of agriculture</a> in this post from the Global Center on Adaptation
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
And check out these helpful resources on <a href="https://gca.org/programs/youth-leadership/">youth leadership in adaptation</a>, also courtesy of the GCA
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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Nature-Based Solutions

Description

Technology can help us build a sustainable economy, but we can't forget that the ulimate key to life on Earth is nature itself. Nature-based solutions—approaches to sustainable development respecting and drawing inspiration from the wonders of the world around us—will allow us to restore the vibrancy of life on earth, saving endangered species, protecting ecosystems, and revitalizing areas damaged by sea rise, drought, and desertification. 

Goal: This working group will explore the interrelations between climate change, nature and health, generating strategies to build back better via natural solutions.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Read Connect4Climate’s article on <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/?q=article/nature-based-solutions-harmo…; target="_blank">Nature-Based Solutions</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Watch #Youth4ClimateLive Episode 4: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb8gStJ68eM" target="_blank">"Driving N</a><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mb8gStJ68eM" target="_blank">ature-Based Solutions"</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Participate in the <a href="https://www.youth4nature.org/storytelling">Youth4Nature Storytelling Campaign</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Find out more about the <a href="http://www.decadeonrestoration.org/" target="_blank">U</a><a href="https://www.decadeonrestoration.org/">N Decade on Ecosystem Restoration</a>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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Financial Flows

Description

We can’t achieve a low-carbon future if finance and financial flows do not support it. Subsidies to coal and gas have long hindered the affordability of green energy technologies—it's time to bring an end to these perverse incentives. Innovative market-based solutions exist for creating low-carbon economies, and we need to harness them to drive the global economy toward a sustainable model. When climate-positivity is linked with profit, the goals of the climate movement will be much easier to reach at the required scale.

Goal: This working group will produce proposals on how countries can realign their financial flows to facilitate a low-carbon future.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="http://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/100_billion_climate_finance_re…; target="_blank">"Delivering on the </a><a href="http://www.un.org/sites/un2.un.org/files/100_billion_climate_finance_re…; target="_blank">$100 Billion Climate Finance Commitment and Transforming Climate Finance</a>, a report from the UN
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Get a quick primer on climate finance from <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/earth-and-planetary-sciences/carbo…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">Science Direct</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Bone up on the World Bank Group's efforts in <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climatechange/brief/world-bank-carbo…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">Climate Finance</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Study the World Bank Group's materials on <a href="https://ieg.worldbankgroup.org/evaluations/carbon-finance" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Carbon Markets</a> and how they can help cut back on greenhouse gas emissions
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Study <a href="https://ieg.worldbankgroup.org/evaluations/carbon-finance" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Carbon Markets</a> and how they can help cut back on greenhouse gas emissions
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn from UNCHR how <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/55005b069.pdf" target="_blank">Carbon Financing</a> can support the world's most vulnerable populations
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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Tourism

Description

Plane flights, boat rides, lodging, souvenirs and other elements of tourism contribute heavily to carbon emissions. For some countries, tourism represents a significant percentage of GDP, but that doesn't mean climate consciousness isn't an option: it just means more work needs to be put in to green the tourism economy as we build back from Covid-19. "Ecotourism" has become a popular niche in the last ten years, but we have to reimagine tourism from top to bottom to properly address its impacts on our atmosphere.

Goal: This working group will generate proposals to guide the smart, sustainable recovery of the tourism industry worldwide.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Read the UN News article <a href="http://news.un.org/en/story/2019/12/1052791" target="_blank">"</a><a href="http://news.un.org/en/story/2019/12/1052791" target="_blank">Greener tourism: Greater collaboration needed to tackle rising emissions</a><a href="http://news.un.org/en/story/2019/12/1052791" target="_blank">"</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Size up the <a href="https://sustainabletravel.org/issues/carbon-footprint-tourism/" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Carbon Footprint of Tourism</a> with this resource from Sustainable Travel International
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="http://www.e-unwto.org/doi/book/10.18111/9789284416660" target="_blank">"</a><a href="http://www.e-unwto.org/doi/book/10.18111/9789284416660" target="_blank">Transport-related CO2 Emissions of the Tourism Sector - Modelling Results</a><a href="http://www.e-unwto.org/doi/book/10.18111/9789284416660" target="_blank">,"</a> a report from the UNWTO
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn from Climate Brief where in the world tourism has <a href="http://www.carbonbrief.org/tourism-responsible-for-8-of-global-greenhou…; target="_blank">disproportionate impacts on climate</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Familiarize yourself with <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/environment/publication/banking-on-p…; target="_blank">"Banking on Protected Areas: Promoting Sustainable Protected Area Tourism to Benefit Local Communities,"</a> a new report from the World Bank
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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#DrivingAmbition: Youth Driving Ambition

By

Young people like you are, quite literally, the future of our planet.

Sections

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Local

Description

Driving action at the local level can take many different forms: climate clubs at school, community demonstrations, knowledge-sharing in social media groups. We're all authorities on our own hometowns—and when we stand up for climate at home, we all contribute to a global push toward a green future! Respecting local expertise while developing a global movement is the challenge of the international climate community, and this working group offers a unique chance to reckon with that challenge.

Goal: This working group will generate proposals to foster youth engagement with climate issues at the local level in regions all over the world.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Watch <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiKCuhb5Kco" target="_blank">#Youth4ClimateLive Episode 9: Driving Local Action</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/theres-easy-way-national-governments-help-…; target="_blank">"</a><a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/theres-easy-way-national-governments-help-…; target="_blank">There’s an Easy Way for National Governments to Help Cities Act on Climate Change - Give Them Data</a><a href="https://www.wri.org/insights/theres-easy-way-national-governments-help-…; target="_blank">,"</a> an article from the World Resources Institute
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/08/19/why-kinshasa-could…; target="_blank">"</a><a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2021/08/19/why-kinshasa-could…; target="_blank">Why Kinshasa Could Be in the Vanguard of Megacities’ Climate Resilience,"</a> a World Bank Feature Story on a $500 million climate project driving sustainability and climate resiliency in one of the world's largest metropolises
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Explore <a href="https://www.c40.org/about" target="_blank">C40 Cities</a>, a network of megacities around the world committed to robust climate action
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Use the <a href="https://www.reachnotpreach.com/" target="_blank">Reach Not Preach</a><a href="https://www.reachnotpreach.com/forum" target="_blank"> Forum</a> to connect with other young people and put your heads together on driving climate action
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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National

Description

Often, contributing to climate action at the national level means linking up with many local groups online and planning larger-scale climate demonstrations, letter-writing campaigns, etc. Taking every chance you get to learn more about the political processes in your country and form strategies to convey your concern on climate to policymakers is key—productive pressure on legislators is what leads to the kind of action we need to turn back the climate crisis. And when given the opportunity, youth should be unafraid to engage with policymakers directly on their Nationally Determined Contributions and other climate policies. But governments need to meaningfully include youth in their decision-making processes as a first step in order for these approaches to be viable: that's what this working group's all about!

Goal: This working group will produce guidelines and recommendations on how countries can enable youth to make their voices heard and shape climate policy at the national level.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li>
Watch <a href="http://Watch Episode 3: Driving Youth Action" target="_blank">Episode 3</a> of #Youth4ClimateLive, "Driving Youth Action"
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="http://environment.yale.edu/news/article/building-public-and-political-…; target="_blank">"</a><a href="http://environment.yale.edu/news/article/building-public-and-political-…; target="_blank">Building Public and Political Will for Climate Change Action</a><a href="http://environment.yale.edu/news/article/building-public-and-political-…; target="_blank">,"</a> a helpful reference from Yale's School of the Environment
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Peruse the UNFCCC <a href="https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/engaging-private-sector…; style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Toolkit for Engaging the Private Sector in National Adaptation Plans (NAPs)</a> 
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="https://ndcpartnership.org/news/roadmap-meaningful-youth-engagement-ndc…; target="_blank">"A Roadmap to Meaningful Youth Engagement in NDCs,"</a> a helpful roadmap from the NDC Partnership on how young people can influence their countries' Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to the global fight against climate change
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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Multilateral

Description

Just as local organizations can come together to effect national change, national youth delegations can come together to effect global change! Your interest in multilateral collaboration is clear, and this working group offers a unique opportunity to brainstorm ways of expanding youth representation at the highest-level climate events.

Goal: This working group will generate proposals to better include youth in international fora and harness their unique knowledge to shape international climate policy.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li>
<a href="https://youth4climate.live/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Watch our #Youth4ClimateLive series</a> to see youth leaders in intergenerational conversations with decision makers
</li>
<li>
Read up on <a href="http://www.youngo.uno/" style="text-decoration-line: none;">YOUNGO</a> and the work it's doing to bring young perspectives to the highest levels of international policymaking
</li>
<li>
See what the <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/youth-in-action/youth-advisory-grou…; style="text-decoration-line: none;">UN Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change</a> is doing to shape the global discourse around climate action
</li>
<li>
Discover the work of <a href="https://sdsnyouth.org/" target="_blank">SDSN Youth</a> to empower young people to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals at the highest levels
</li>
<li>
Browse this UN reference on its work with <a href="https://www.un.org/en/climatechange/youth-in-action" target="_blank">Youth in Action</a>
</li>
<li>
Connect with other young people using <a href="https://www.sparkblue.org/youth" target="_blank">SparkBlue</a>, a UN Development Programme online platform for coordinating global action
</li>
<li>
Look into the <a href="https://ukcoy16.org/" target="_blank">UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY)</a> happening in Glasgow, Scotland this November alongside COP26
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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#DrivingAmbition: Non-State Actors' Engagement

By

This article is part of a series on topics to be explored at this year's #Youth4Climate: #DrivingAmbition event. Check back regularly for updated content!

Sections

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Food

Description

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CrZViyhwo_A]

Food production and food systems have an outsize impact on our climate. Did you know that <a href="https://www.carbonbrief.org/food-systems-responsible-for-one-third-of-h…; target="_blank">food systems are responsible for fully one-third of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions</a>? This is not how it has to be, however: we have the power to support planet-positive farming and circular agricultural practices. <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2021/03/5-ways-transform-food-system-sus…; target="_blank">Transforming our food systems is both possible and essential.</a>

Goal: This working group will draft proposals on how to improve climate resiliency in food systems and how to productively engage the food industry on ways it can promote sustainability and climate-consciousness.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">Join the <a href="https://foodsystems.community" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Summit Community</a> for the<a href="https://www.un.org/en/food-systems-summit" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank"> UN Food Pre-Summit in July</a> 
 </li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read this comprehensive <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/topic/climate-smart-agriculture" target="_blank">Climate-Smart Agriculture</a> article from The World Bank
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="https://unfoundation.org/blog/post/climate-change-and-the-future-of-foo…; target="_blank">"Climate Change and the Future of Food,"</a> a blog post from the UN Foundation
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read this detailed breakdown of <a href="https://www.ipcc.ch/srccl/chapter/chapter-5/" target="_blank">Food Security</a> in a dedicated chapter from an IPCC report
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Peruse the UN Food and Agricultural Organization's <a href="http://www.fao.org/climate-change/en/" target="_blank">page on Climate Change</a>
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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Entrepreneurship

Description

Entrepreneurs are able to create new technologies to address the world’s most pressing challenges, and thus have a key role to play in combatting the climate crisis. In order to come up with the innovative solutions we need to drive #ClimateAction around the world, we have to invest in entrepreneurs.

Goal: This working group will help identify ways to foster transformation processes and push accelerators into climate technology markets to help entrepreneurs realize their ideas.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Read our #Youth4Climate <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/article/innovation-and-entrepreneurship…; style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Innovation and Entrepreneurship article</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Watch Episode 7 of Youth4ClimateLive, <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pH6QbsaKlPc" target="_blank">"Driving Innovation & Entrepreneurship"</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Explore the <a href="https://www.greenpreneurs.co/" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(51, 122, 183);" target="_blank">Greenpreneurs</a> program and apply to be a member of the latest Greenpreneurs cohort
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Explore the many <a href="https://www.climatecolab.org/contests" style="box-sizing: border-box; background-color: transparent; text-decoration-line: none; color: rgb(51, 122, 183);">innovation-oriented climate contests</a> open for submissions on the Climate CoLab website
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read about the UNFCCC’s work on <a href="https://unfccc.int/ttclear/tec/brief12.html" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Energizing Entrepreneurs to Tackle Climate Change</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read <a href="http://blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/innovation-climate-change-adap…; target="_blank">"</a><a href="http://blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/innovation-climate-change-adap…; target="_blank">Innovation in climate change adaptation: Does it reach those who need it most?</a><a href="http://blogs.worldbank.org/climatechange/innovation-climate-change-adap…; target="_blank">,"</a> a blog post from the World Bank Group
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Visit the <a href="http://innovate4climate.com" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">Innovate4Climate</a> website and <a href="https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/fAUMLon/i4c2021updates" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">subscribe to the newsletter</a>.
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read through <a href="https://unfccc.int/ttclear/misc_/StaticFiles/gnwoerk_static/brief12/bd8…; style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">UNFCCC’s TEC Brief</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read up on how the <a href="http://www.centreforpublicimpact.org/insights/fight-climate-change-yout…; target="_blank">Commision for Environmental Cooperation</a> facilitates collaboration and public participation for young innovators.
</li>
</ul>
</li>
</ul>

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Sports

Description

Sports and climate go hand in hand. Just as a clean climate is essential for fair and enjoyable sports—<a href="https://www.climatecentral.org/news/report-pouring-it-on-climate-change…; target="_blank">abnormal rain</a> washes out playing fields, <a href="https://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/29870359/air-quality-issues-expect…; target="_blank">poor air quality</a> harms players' health—sports are an essential means of communicating the value of the natural world to mass audiences. As our own #Sport4Climate initiative has shown, sports can be a powerful vehicle for driving climate action.

Goal: This working group will form proposals to develop the role of the sports sector within the Climate Action Agenda, strengthening the sports industry's role in raising climate awareness and incentivizing it to set an example of climate consciousness through its own actions.

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Learn More

<ul>
<li dir="ltr">
Take a look at The Climate Reality Project to learn <a href="https://www.climaterealityproject.org/blog/how-climate-crisis-threatens…; style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">How The Climate Crisis Threatens The Future of Sports</a>
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Check out Connect4Climate’s <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiatives/sport4climate" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#Sport4Climate initiative</a> to see how we’ve worked alongside the sports sector to drive climate action over the years
</li>
<li dir="ltr">
Read up on UN Climate Change's <a href="https://unfccc.int/climate-action/sectoral-engagement/sports-for-climat…; target="_blank">Sports for Climate Action</a> initiative too
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Get a better sense of the interplay between <a href="https://climatenexus.org/climate-issues/climate-change-and-sports/" target="_blank">"Climate Change and Sports"</a> in this helpful article from Climate Nexus
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Fashion

Description

Operating under the wasteful paradigm of "fast fashion," the modern fashion industry is one of the leading contributors to water pollution and is responsible for fully 10% of the world's annual greenhouse gas emissions. It is infamously resource-intensive, too: Did you know that <a href="https://unfccc.int/news/un-helps-fashion-industry-shift-to-low-carbon&q…; target="_blank">the production of a single pair of denim jeans consumes 10,000 liters of water</a>? There will always be a need for clothing, but the fashion sector needs a serious makeover if we're to have a chance at a sustainable future.

Goal: This working group will brainstorm ways in which the fashion industry can reconceptualize to contribute positively to the Climate Action Agenda instead of hindering it.

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Familiarize yourself with the <a href="https://unfccc.int/climate-action/sectoral-engagement/global-climate-ac…; target="_blank">Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action</a>
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Read the World Bank Group's article,<a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/09/23/costo-moda-medio-a…; style="text-decoration-line: none;"> </a><a href="http://www.worldbank.org/en/news/feature/2019/09/23/costo-moda-medio-am…; target="_blank">"How Much do Our Wardrobes Cost to the Environment?"</a>
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Get acquainted with the <a href="https://unfashionalliance.org/" target="_blank">UN Alliance for Sustainable Fashion</a>, an initiative dedicated to bringing the world of fashion into alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals
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Check out Connect4Climate’s <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiatives/fashion4climate" style="text-decoration-line: none;" target="_blank">#Fashion4Climate initiative</a> to see how we've worked with the fashion sector to bring its problems to light and move forward constructively
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In particular, dive into <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRO5FL66B_8" target="_blank">"X-Ray Fashion,"</a> a groundbreaking #Fashion4Climate VR experience
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Arts

Description

The arts offer the opportunity to communicate the impact of climate change and the need for unified action in a uniquely resonant, emotional way. At Connect4Climate, we interface with the arts regularly through our #Music4Climate and #Film4Climate initiatives, striking up inspiring collaborations with creative people around the world.

Goal: This working group will explore strategies of engaging with the art and entertainment sectors on climate issues and develop novel approaches to using film, music and more to communicate the essential message of climate action.

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Learn more about Connect4Climate's <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiatives/film4climate" target="_blank">#Film4Climate</a> collaborations with the film industry
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Learn more about our <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/initiatives/music4climate" target="_blank">#Music4Climate</a> projects to frame the issues through song
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Browse this helpful selection of <a href="https://www.connect4climate.org/article/green-films-watch-athome" target="_blank">"Green Films to Watch #AtHome"</a>
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Get on board with the <a href="https://creativeindustriespact.com/" target="_blank">Creative Industries Pact for Sustainable Action</a>
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Read up on the <a href="https://www.greenproductionguide.com/about-the-sustainable-production-a…; target="_blank">Sustainable Production Alliance</a> and delve into its <a href="https://www.greenproductionguide.com/tools/" target="_blank">Green Prodution Guide Toolkit</a> and other resources
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Read <a href="https://www.unep.org/news-and-stories/story/greening-entertainment-indu…; target="_blank">"Greening the Entertainment Industry is Music to Our Ears,"</a> an inspiring story from UNEP on a campaign to promote climate positivity in the music industry
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