Youth and climate change: Time for action – that’s the theme for this year’s International Youth Day. Thousands of Red Cross and Red Crescent youth volunteers around the world are already at the forefront of action, as they work to raise awareness and respond to the effects of climate change in their own communities, especially on the most vulnerable.
With the support of the International Federation, and in particular of the Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Centre, based in the Netherlands, dozens of risk reduction programmes are being implemented at the grassroots level, on all continents. Since its establishment in 2002, the centre has helped more than 40 Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies develop and implement measures to address and reduce the risks associated to climate change.
“There are two main aspects to the climate change debate, limiting the emissions of greenhouse gases and adapting to deal with the negative consequences of climate change. Our Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are working to help communities adapt and mitigate the impact of changing weather patterns,” explains Geri Lau, Head of the International Federation’s Organizational Development Department.
“Our tens of millions of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers, because of their unique access to communities, are strategically placed to raise their awareness of climate change threats and make them more resilient in disaster risk reduction, in order to deal with the negative consequences of climate change,” she adds. “Our youth volunteers, in particular, are very creative and enthusiastic in involving other young people in their cause. This is why it is especially important that we continue to involve our youth volunteers in the design and implementation of activities to mitigate the impact of climate change.”
In the Pacific, the Solomon Islands Red Cross has had the foresight to encourage youth participation in their climate change and disaster risk reduction activities at all levels. Their programmes and activities include school awareness programmes, risk reduction assessments in villages, poster competitions, a radio programme for young people, community clean-ups as well as advocacy projects using youth networks. They are also planning to extend the programme to all parts of the country and are advocating for more youth involvement in all sectors of climate change policy and planning at the national level.
In Guatemala, young Red Cross volunteers are involved in tree planting programmes which both protect communities from environmental hazards such as landslides as well as absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The Red Cross also partnered with several other organizations to hold a painting contest focused on risk reduction in which more than 2,500 children took part.
In Malawi, youth Red Cross volunteers were involved in the production of a short documentary on the effects of climate change on their country - in its urban and rural communities, as well as steps that can be taken to reduce its impact. The Pakistan Red Crescent Society is also focused on educating young people on the impact that climate change will have on their lives through the creative use of drama.
In Europe each year, youth volunteers of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the Mediterranean come together for an annual camp, Atlantis. This year, one of the main workshops focused on climate change, and how to prepare communities by educating people at the grassroots level on how to adapt to its impact.
For its part, the Netherlands Red Cross organized an education campaign on climate change in elementary schools, including quizzes and drawing contests. Children in one area of the country combined the course with direct action on heat wave awareness by visiting retirement homes to inform the elderly about health risks during heat waves and the dos and don’ts during hot spells. An increase in heat waves is but one consequence of a warming planet.
The International Federation is also working with other major youth organizations, through the Alliance of youth CEOs and UNICEF, to develop a facilitator’s guide for young people to organize local action on climate change. Climate change is a reality that all must face together, and Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are thinking of both today and tomorrow by involving, educating and promoting a new generation of volunteers to respond to the challenges communities must face and help them address the humanitarian consequences of climate change.
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Red Cross Youth in Banda Aceh march to campaign on climate change. (Photo: International Federation/Vina Agustina).
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In Europe each year, youth volunteers of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the Mediterranean come together for an annual camp, Atlantis.
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