Adolescents & Youth Taking Charge: Action on climate change for their well-being

Climate change poses significant challenges to the well-being of 1.2 billion adolescents and youth globally. The world they inhabit and inherit has increased chances of disruption to their safe and supportive environment, including disruptions due to extreme climate-related weather events and forced migration, limited access to nutrition, education and employment - all threats to their well-being. The collective agency of young people is a key resource that must be leveraged to combat climate change. It is critical to ensure that adolescents and youth are aware of the impacts of climate change on their health and well-being and as such have a voice in policy discourse about issues that affect their future.

PMNCH is pleased to collaborate with All for Climate – Italy 2021 Flagship Programme and coordinate a virtual youth-led conclave, together with Lancet Countdown: Tracking progress on Health and Climate Change and other partners, entitled ‘Adolescents & Youth Taking Charge: Action on climate change for their well-being'. The virtual event will take place on Friday, 24 September, from 12:30-14:00 CET. The expected outcomes of this event are:

• Raising awareness about the Call to Action for Adolescents and garnering commitment for the issue of climate change to be included as a critical part of the agenda at the Global Summit on Adolescent Well-Being in 2023; 
• Disseminating evidence about the links between climate change and adolescent well-being making the case for greater attention to adolescent well-being at COP 26 and the pre-COP discussions;
• Providing climate change and adolescent well-being youth champions an opportunity to be part of global discussions and help drive change at international, regional and national levels.

The event will culminate with the release of the PMNCH Climate Change Advocacy Brief and the agreement of concrete actions to ensure increased engagement of adolescents and youth for their health and well-being.