Engaging Youth in Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific This webpage showcases the work of the United Nations Regional Collaborative Platform in Asia and Pacific and its Issue-Based Coalition on Raising Ambitions on Climate Action on youth engagement in climate action, which is an essential component of raising climate ambitions. This issue-based coalition is co-chaired by ESCAP and UNEP, with the engagement of UNDP, the UNFCCC Regional Collaboration Centre Asia and the Pacific, UNESCO, ILO, IOM, and other United Nations entities. Please find tabs below on the relevant publications and work from the coalition to help inform and guide your work on youth engagement in climate action, as well an interactive map where you can browse cases from Asia and the Pacific. Why Engage Youth?Climate action demands innovation and new approaches, and nowhere is the need for accelerated climate action more urgent than in Asia and the Pacific. Youth are in a unique position to contribute as their energy, creativity, and passion are a force for action, and youth are also more likely to view climate change as an urgent issue. Also, their numerical significance can amplify their impacts. Over half of global youth are from Asia and the Pacific and children and youth number around 1.7 billion people in the region. It is in the long-term interest of society to meaningfully engage young people in important issues today as well, since it better prepares them to tackle these challenges well into the future and can also foster greater trust in public institutions. However, all these reasons aside, the climate crisis is a crisis of rights, and children and youth—who have contributed the least to the crisis—are experiencing and will continue to experience the worst of its impacts. As such, young people should play a more active role in the actions that will shape their futures. Publications Meaningful Youth Engagement in Climate Action in Asia and the PacificNovember 2023This policy brief on "Meaningful Youth Engagement in Climate Action in Asia and the Pacific" intends to guide governments and other institutions in Asia and the Pacific towards achieving more meaningful youth engagement in climate action and provides a set of general recommendations to do so. It came in advance of Asia-Pacific Climate Week 2023 as a response to the youth statement made at the 79th ESCAP Commission Session (see "Other Resources"). Recommendations surround capacity building for youth, public and political participation, and supporting youth solutions, as well as creating an enabling environment for meaningful and inclusive participation. Compendium of Best PracticesMay 2023Explore the "Compendium of Best Practices on Youth and Climate Governance in Asia and the Pacific" from the Youth Empowerment in Climate Action Platform. Discover country success stories in advocacy, political participation, capacity building, innovation, research, and more. Learn how youth are shaping climate governance in Asia and the Pacific. On Equal TermsOctober 2023A new checklist developed by UNDP, providing officials, policymakers, and other climate practitioners with a comprehensive guide for establishing a youth-inclusive process for Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). This checklist is the result of UNDP's extensive engagement with climate stakeholders, youth organizations, movements, and networks across various countries. Informed by a survey involving 335 youth from 78 countries, aged 15 to 35, the checklist incorporates their perspectives and experiences in participating in NDC formulation, implementation, and monitoring. Adaptable to local contexts, it serves as a guidance tool across six critical stages of the NDC process, from the initial political decision to meaningfully engage youth to NDC implementation.Joint Recommendations on Green Skills with and for Girls and Young WomenOctober 2024The Joint Recommendations on Green Skills with and for Girls and Young Women outline a strategic agenda to enhance green skills among girls and young women, directly addressing the gender gaps in environmental sectors. Crafted by girl and young woman champions from 20 countries across Asia and the Pacific, the recommendations identify specific actions to dismantle gender-related barriers that hinder equitable participation in the green economy. They advocate for a girl- and woman-centered approach to green transitions, emphasizing the need for gender-transformative educational and career pathways, as well as the engagement of men and boys as allies in gender equality.Seeds of change: state of the education report for India 2023; education to address climate change2023To address climate change effectively through education, a fundamental shift in educational approaches is crucial. Until recently, education prioritized conventional subjects, but there is now a growing acknowledgement and acceptance of the urgent need to integrate fundamental aspects of climate change education into the school curriculum.In India, the National Education Policy 2020 emphasizes the integration of environmental awareness and sustainability into school curricula and, through the 2023 National Curriculum Framework for School Education, the country recognizes environmental education as a multidisciplinary field that has connections to all subjects. Incorporating relevant elements of climate change into education at all stages equips learners and young people with the knowledge, skills, behaviour and initiative to become responsible agents in coming up with climate solutions .Advancing gender equality in Asia and the Pacific in the context of climate changeSeptember 2023Gender inequality, coupled with current climate and environment crises, is one of the greatest sustainable development challenges of our time. While the effects of climate change threaten everybody, the most affected are women and children, particularly older women, girls, persons with disabilities, ethnic and gender minorities and those living in rural areas. These people are disproportionally impacted in terms of access to food and nutrition security, clean water and health. This policy paper employs an intersectional approach to understand the risks and challenges that climate change poses for women and other marginalized groups in Asia and the Pacific, which stands as the most disaster-prone region in the world.Asia-Pacific regional synthesis: climate change, displacement and the right to education2023This regional synthesis report from UNESCO and UNU-IAS aims to guide policy-makers through providing operational policy recommendations on how to ensure education is protected in Asia and the Pacific in the face of climate change and displacement from a human rights-based approach. 2022 review of climate ambition in Asia and the Pacific: raising NDC targets with enhanced nature-based solutions with a special feature on engagement of children and youth in raising national climate ambition November 2022This ESCAP, UNEP, and UNICEF joint assessment report conveys several recommendations for national policy and engagement and regional policies for the Asia-Pacific region for achieving 1.5°C pathway. The Special Feature on Engagement of Children and Youth in Raising National Climate Ambition shows that civil society, and especially young people, are leading the charge and are championing more urgency, faster action, and greater ambition. It advocates that creating a seat at the table for all stakeholders, and in particular children and young people in the design, development, and implementation of climate action policies, programmes, and decisions will facilitate implementing carbon neutrality and net-zero pledges.Greening the Mekong: action for a greener economy with children and youth: a study on advancing inclusive green economy through empowerment and participation of young people in Greater Mekong2021This UNESCO and UNICEF study on advancing inclusive green economy through empowerment and participation of young people in the Greater Mekong intends to better understand the opportunities and barriers for young people to integrate sustainability into their current and future economic activity. Awareness of sustainability issues has grown over the past decade, but does not always result changes to the way we live and work. This report and the accompanying series of policy briefs examines current levels of awareness and support mechanisms in Cambodia, Thailand and Viet Nam, and explores opportunities to empower youth to play more active roles as agents of change for a greener planet.Climate action and green economy with children and youth in the Mekong Region2021Mekong region countries are already among the most vulnerable globally to the impacts of climate change. Investment in environmentally sustainable growth strategies have a high potential to positively impact economic growth and other development objectives in the region. Young people hold the key to accelerating action towards greener economies that can tackle the challenges of climate change. UNESCO Green Academies: guidelines for climate-resilient schools2019UNESCO Green Academies engage young people and their communities to transform existing buildings, for example schools, into climate-resilient structures, equipped with simple, affordable and replicable changes. Opinion Pieces Unleashing youth-led digital innovation for climate action and sustainable developmentUnited Nations ESCAP BlogJune 2024 Innovation for climate action and inclusivityUnited Nations ESCAP BlogJune 2024 Entrepreneurship and Innovation in the face of climate change, poverty and hunger in the Asia-Pacific regionUnited Nations ESCAP BlogApril 2024 Empowering youths to protect the most vulnerable from climate changeUnited Nations ESCAP BlogNovember 2023 Is “youth climate advocate” still necessary in this era?Op-ed by John Leo AlgoAugust 2023 Engaging youth in climate action: Hope for the region's sustainable future United Nations ESCAP BlogMay 2023 Lives displaced and disrupted: How climate change threatens the right to educationUNESCO and UNU-IAS Blog June 2023 Other ResourcesYouth4CapacityUNFCCCThis programme builds the climate action capacity of young people, (particularly in vulnerable countries), promotes the active exchange of experiences, and seeks to address the linkages between climate action and the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals and the three Rio conventions. Youth Statement for the ESCAP 8th Committee on Environment and DevelopmentFacilitated by UNDP Youth Statement for the ESCAP 79th Commission SessionFacilitated by YECAP The Future of Work Podcast- Green jobs: A solution to youth employment and the climate crisis?ILOGreen jobs can help tackle the climate crisis and the labour market challenges faced by young people. So what exactly are green jobs? And what can young people do to create a sustainable future for themselves?Climate Science Literacy in Asia and the PacificUNESCO, ILO, IOM, UNDP, UNDRR, UNEP, UN ESCAP, UNFCCC, UNICEF, and UNOSSCTo advance climate science literacy across Asia and the Pacific, the United Nations in Asia-Pacific has developed a series of posters, social media graphics, and videos. The materials are available free of charge for public adaptation and distribution under Open Access CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO. Climate Change and the Right to Education - Side Event at the 79th Commission Session of UN ESCAPUNESCO and UNU-IAS jointly organized a side event on "Climate change and the right to education" on 17 May 2023 to discuss how the right to education, including access to and continuity of quality education and lifelong learning, are threatened by the effects of climate change. A video of proceedings can be viewed in the link.Youth Philosophy Webinar: Ethical Principles in Relation to Climate ChangeUNESCOBy interacting with a youth audience, this webinar encourages youths to ask and answer questions about existing problems caused by climate change and how ethical principles will transform society to be more inclusive and sustainable. News12th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable DevelopmentESCAP, 25-28 February 2025The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) is an annual, inclusive intergovernmental forum to support follow-up and review of progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the regional level. The 12th APFSD was organized under the theme: “Advancing sustainable, inclusive, science- and evidence-based solutions for the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs for leaving no one behind in Asia and the Pacific.” As a multi-stakeholder forum, the 12th APFSD welcomed the participation of youth through the annual APFSD Youth Forum, Generation Hope Goals, side events, the exhibition, and other processes. In total, there were over 15 children and youth-related events at the 12th APFSD. A brief on youth engagement at the Forum can be seen here.Movers and YECAP Fellows Envision the World Youth Want in CED8 Youth StatementUNDP, October 2024On 16 October 2024, Angelica Añabeza, Senior Associate at the Wadhwani Foundation Philippines and Movers Facilitator, together with Prajesh Khanal, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy and Governance Studies, Movers Ambassador, and YECAP Fellow, represented Asia-Pacific youth voices through a Youth Statement during the eighth session of the Committee on Environment and Development (CED8).IOM hosts the second annual Asia-Pacific Youth Summit on Climate Change and Human MobilityIOM, October 2024Over 40 youth climate advocates from the Asia-Pacific region gathered for the second annual Asia Pacific Youth Summit on Climate Change and Human Mobility. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural youth summit in the Philippines, the event aimed to enhance youth engagement and capacity in addressing climate change and human mobility, fostering solutions for climate-induced displacement. The summit, hosted by the International Organization for Migration (IOM), brought together youth representatives from the National Youth Services Council, SLYCAN Trust, UNICEF Youth, Sri Lanka Model United Nations, Sri Lanka Land Development Corporation and other key organizations alongside young climate change advocates from across the Asia-Pacific region. See a summary report of the event here.11th Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable DevelopmentESCAP, 20-23 February 2024The Asia-Pacific Forum on Sustainable Development (APFSD) is an annual, inclusive intergovernmental forum to support follow-up and review of progress on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at the regional level. The 11th APFSD was organized under the theme: “Reinforcing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and eradicating poverty in times of multiple crises: The effective delivery of sustainable, resilient and innovative solutions in Asia and the Pacific.” As a multi-stakeholder forum, the 11th APFSD welcomed the participation of youth through the annual APFSD Youth Forum, the first APFSD Youth Climathon, side events, the exhibition, and other processes. Climate Change Education for Social Transformation: Whole-institution approach to greening every schoolUNESCO and UNFCCCFollowing the success of the first series of eight monthly conversations on climate change education for social transformation on the road to COP27, UNESCO and UNFCCC are launching a second series of six webinars, from May to December 2023, on greening schools on the road to COP28 in Dubai, UAE. -Photo credit: Rawpixel/Shutterstock Examples from Asia and the Pacific Last updated 16 April 2025