From Victims to Leaders: The Role of Youth in the Climate Movement

The climate crisis is not only about nature, but also about people's lives, rights, and future. Kids and young people are especially at risk because they will live with the effects of global warming, pollution, and disappearing wildlife for a long time.  However, young people do not have to be victims of the climate crisis; they can also be leaders of the green movement.

Why Are Youth Important?

Their importance is not limited to their own future, new generations have a powerful weapon against climate change: creativity and hope. Most young people may have participated in clean-up campaigns, recycling projects, or awareness events at their schools and in their communities. These may seem like small actions, but it inspires others to become more environmentally conscious. 

Climate and Rights

The climate crisis is not just an environmental issue, but also a children's rights crisis too, because children are disproportionately affected by climate change and related environmental hazards. About 1 billion children live in places at extremely high risk from climate change. More than 850 million children face 4 or more climate hazards at the same time. This raises an important question: Why are children more vulnerable in this regard?

According to the Unicef, children face higher risks because:

•  Biological sensitivity: Children are more affected by heat stress, diseases, and other climate-related health risks.

•  Dependency on services: They rely heavily on health care, education, water, and sanitation services, which can be disrupted by climate events.

• Lower capacity to adapt or relocate: Children have less ability to adapt to or relocate from dangerous situations.

• Weaker infrastructure in poor contexts: In low-income or fragile countries, infrastructure and resources to cope with shocks are limited

•  Inequalities: Poverty and marginalization further increase children’s exposure to climate-related risks.

What can be done?

The climate crisis is happening now, and children are bearing the brunt of it today. Urgent and transformative action is needed to ensure children can live safely in a livable world. This action must be taken in many areas, including mitigation, adaptation, justice, and inclusivity. We need urgent action so kids can grow up safely. UNICEF suggests:

• Mitigation: Sharp reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (45% by 2030; net zero by 2050)

• Adaptation and resilience: Strengthening child-sensitive services (health, WASH, education), infrastructure, and early warning systems

• Education and green skills: Integrating climate education, preparing children for future challenges

• Inclusion and participation: Children and youth should have a say in climate-related decision-making processes (national, local, global).

• Equitable financing and investment: Providing more financial support to the most vulnerable countries and communities.

Young people can’t just wait for adults to fix everything. By acting now, we can lead the green movement and make the world safer for ourselves and future generations.

Work Cited:

​​Taylor, Luke. "Severe Drought Puts Nearly Half a Million Children at Risk in Amazon – Report." The Guardian, 7 Nov. 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/nov/07/severe-drought-children-food-water-school-amazon-climate-rivers-transport-unicef. Accessed 24 Sept. 2025.

Johnson, Sarah. "Eight Times More Children Will Face Extreme Heatwaves by 2050s, UNICEF Says." The Guardian, 20 Nov. 2024, https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2024/nov/20/children-extreme-heatwaves-2050s-un. Accessed 24 Sept. 2025.

Adaptation Fund. Youth Report: Climate Change and Adaptation. Adaptation Fund, 7 Nov. 2022, https://www.adaptation-fund.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/Youth-Report-07.11.22.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com. Accessed 24 Sept. 2025.*

Geneva Environment Network. “Youth and the Environment.” Geneva Environment Network, https://www.genevaenvironmentnetwork.org/resources/updates/youth-and-the-environment/. Accessed 24 Sept. 2025.