As a climate activist, you may have the
opportunity to participate in meetings with
decision-makers at the local, national, or even
international level. These meetings are a
chance to collaborate on creating initiatives
and solutions that can help advance the
climate agenda, while also taking into account
the unique needs and challenges faced by
children, adolescents, and young people. By
participating in these meetings, you can share
your perspectives and proposals, draw from
your experiences, and help infuence the
decisions that are made.
Furthermore, countries are constantly working
on climate policies and tools to address
environmental concerns. It's crucial that young
people and adolescents are involved in the
creation of these policies, so that they
accurately refect their needs and uphold their
rights. When young people take part in
consultations and reviews of these policies and
tools, their perspectives can be integrated and
lead to the creation of climate policies that are
sensitive to the needs of children, adolescents,
PREPARE TO ACT
HOW TO ENGAGE AND COLLABORATE WITH
COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES
Overall, engaging with political and economic stakeholders to co-create sustainability policies with community
representatives requires patience, persistence, and a commitment to collaborative decision-making. By
working together, stakeholders can develop policies that are grounded in local knowledge, values, and
interests, and that can lead to more sustainable outcomes for all.
Establish clear
goals:
Clearly define the goals of
the sustainability policy.
This could include
environmental, social, and
economic goals. Engage
stakeholders in setting
these goals, so that they
are aligned with their
values and interests.
Communicate
effectively:
Effective communication is
key to building trust and
maintaining engagement.
Provide regular updates on
the progress of the policy
development process and
be responsive to
stakeholder feedback.
Build
relationships:
Building relationships with
the stakeholders is crucial.
Take the time to
understand their
perspectives, values, and
interests. This can be done
through individual
meetings, focus groups, or
town hall meetings.
Develop a
co-creation process:
Establish a process for
co-creating the policy with
community
representatives. This
process should be
transparent, inclusive, and
collaborative. It could
include workshops, working
groups, and online forums.
Identify the
stakeholders:
Identify the key
stakeholders who have a
stake in the sustainability
policy development
process. This could include
government officials,
business leaders,
community organizations,
academics, and citizens.
Evaluate the
policy:
Once the policy has been
developed, it is important
to evaluate its
effectiveness. This can be
done through monitoring
and evaluation frameworks
that are co-created with
stakeholders.
Implement the
policy:
Finally, implement the
policy in a way that is
equitable, inclusive, and
sustainable. This could
involve partnerships with
local organizations and
businesses,
capacity-building
initiatives, and ongoing
stakeholder engagement.
PRACTICAL TIPS FOR CLIMATE ADVOCACY AND ACTION
and young people. Finally, other young
activists have shared tips on how to prepare
for, participate in, and follow up on these
consultations and reviews to ensure the
greatest impact.