Good decisions are ones based upon the opinions, ideas and priorities of those who will be most impacted.
This is especially true for young people and climate change.
Young people are living in unique and alarming times. Climate change and the need to act to mitigate its effects were well recognised by the time they were born. Decades later many decision-makers are yet to take substantial action.
For a generation who can’t comprehend why society still doesn’t adequately recognise and respond to the biggest threat facing the planet, and yet who will be the most impacted by climate change, their lack of decision-making power is especially frustrating.
This is why we have been helping Resilient South to seriously incorporate the views of young people in the development of the new Regional Climate Action Plan for southern Adelaide.
URPS facilitated a Resilient South Regional Youth Climate Forum to understand what young people’s climate change priorities are and how these can be incorporated into the new action plan. It also helped us to understand how Resilient South can best engage with young people on climate change and support young people to take climate action themselves.
In a high-energy room filled with current and future change makers and the beneficiaries of our very Earth, it was reinforced why it is so important that young people are involved in shaping our response to climate change. One participant summed up the night by saying, “we are the future of our governments and our planet, and our voices can impact the decisions we make today so that we have a sustainable future for tomorrow”.
Young filmmaker Holly Winter has made an exceptional short video below.
