Climate action is a top priority for most young people in Europe. The Council of Europe has therefore proposed a set of measures on climate action dedicated to young people. In a new Recommendation, the first international text on this topic, the organisation’s Committee of Ministers underlines young people’s freedom of expression and the importance of judicial review in environmental matters.
The principle “no punishment without law” should be applied. States should respect in particular the rights of vulnerable youth, including marginalised and indigenous young people, when they express their concerns about environmental degradation in public discourse. European states should also strengthen youth participation in climate-related decision-making processes and raise awareness, including through financially supporting youth organisations working on climate issues.
Investing in green jobs, education and skills is another recommendation. Member states should provide dedicated funding to young green entrepreneurs through micro-financing schemes and to Research and Development projects in the green tech field. Youth workers should receive tailored support; buildings and facilities provided by the authorities (youth clubs and centres, schools, and youth centres) should be resilient to climate change, so as to ensure optimal working and living conditions.
European states should also seek to mitigate the harmful consequences of the climate crisis on young people’s physical and mental health by establishing dedicated youth services. Authorities should support research into the phenomenon of eco-anxiety, raise awareness of it and develop support services for those suffering from it.
Young people should be provided with reliable and youth-friendly information on environmental matters, mainly and preferably in digital formats, also in minority languages. Legal and practical safeguards should be established to limit the spread of disinformation on environmental matters.
States should also consider establishing focused institutions, such as a future generations commissioner, to encourage a longer-term view on policy decisions related to the climate.
In five years the Committee of Ministers will review the implementation of this recommendation.
