Climate change affects all generations but it is young people who will inherit the impacts for many decades to come. As a result, it is also young people who will rise to this challenge. To achieve this it is critical that they be given the means and opportunity to act as agents of change both at the grass-roots and global level.
The International Climate Champions project identifies and trains talented young people to communicate climate change issues to their peers, the public and key decision-makers directly and via the media, encouraging positive action on climate change to be taken.
Activities will initially focus on participants’ communities but will extend beyond to have a regional, national and global reach.
This program tackles climate change locally and internationally through a network of International Climate Champions—young people aged 11-35, up to 50 of whom are nominated from each country.
They work to spread the word about climate change and get others involved within their communities. From this group, several are selected to take their efforts to a global scale.
The aims of the project are to:
•Increase understanding of the case for tackling climate change
•Increase support for the achievement and implementation of international agreements that address the threat of climate change
•Strengthen relationships and networks which lead to action on climate change
•Directly connect with 20,000 young people through the ICC project, of which 2000 are International Climate Champions
•Engage via the web on climate change issues with 10 million young people
We are working with in-country partners across 13 countries—initially the G8+5 (Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, South Africa, UK, USA)—to help set up Climate Champion initiatives. Partners include:
•High-level government agencies/ministries
•Private associations
•NGOs
•Companies
•Universities
•Media organisations
Other groups and countries will join in 2009.
 |
 |
|
As part of International Climate Champions project the six 2009 Welsh Climate Champions travelled to Belgium in February to learn about how other European countries are tackling climate change and about simple steps people can take to reduce their carbon footprint. The six champions aged 14-16 years were appointed by the Welsh Assembly Government in January and will spend a year spreading the word in their local communities across Wales. The four day packed fact-finding expedition to Belgium included a visit to wind farm and a tour of a 100% renewable energy house. The trip finished in Brussels where the Climate Champions took part in a roundtable discussion with their young Belgian counterparts, representatives from the European Commission and environmental organisations to learn about what the European Union is doing to tackle climate change and also share their ideas on how best they can encourage their friends, families and communities to take action. The British Council worked with the Climate Champions to write an action plan on the kind of activities they wish to carry out during their year as Welsh Climate Champions. These activities included going into primary school assemblies, writing newspapers columns and internet blogs to raise awareness persuade people to do their bit. The Climate Champions presented their ideas to policy makers and climate change activists at a reception at the Welsh Assembly Government office in Brussels. We are looking forward to hearing more about the work of the Welsh Climate Champions. |
Climate Champions have been involved in a wide range of local projects aimed at:
•Awareness raising – talks, DVDs, blogs, exhibitions, art works, newspaper articles, etc.
•Behaviour change – reclaiming derelict land, constructing vegetable plots, cleaning up beaches, competitions, tree planting, a “walking bus” school transportation programme, etc.
Networking to support the above aims has been continually carried out to share ideas and best practice with other Champions around the world.
In 2008 they were given communications training and formulated a challenge which they presented to environmental ministers at a Climate Change Conference in Kobe, Japan in May. Three of them participated in the Global Humanitarian Forum in Geneva in June. They received strong press coverage around the world. Just six countries achieved an audience reach of 42 million and publicity worth £4 million.
To learn more about the project, please see International Climate Champions website.
| 
