Governments Need New Methods to Engage Youth in Environmental Issues, Research Suggests | Community

Governments need to look more carefully at how they involve adolescents and youth in environmental policies. A survey of more than 2,000 people between the ages of 16 and 24 revealed a disturbing picture. The report states that while there are currently many opportunities to engage young citizens in environmental debate and action, the quality of such participation must be improved.

a seek It was conducted as part of the British Academy’s ‘Where We Live Next’ project and consulted only young people living in the UK. Despite this, it provides clues for policymakers anywhere, including Brazil. In addition to collecting responses from the 2,002 people (mostly women) in the questionnaires, 30 individual interviews and 11 discussion groups were conducted with 35 participants, ranging in age from 15 to 25 years.

Young people said they felt uninformed about environmental issues in general and about ways to address these issues locally, close to where they live. They claimed that they only feel like “recipients” of ready-made policies, which are only taken by the elderly, and not as participants in formulating initiatives. Youth’s sense of powerlessness and uselessness in the face of problems was also found in the survey called “Youth, Sustainability, and Democracy: How Youth Shaping Environmental Policy in Urban Spaces”.

The concerns expressed most intensely by young people were related to problems that directly affect them, such as litter in the streets where they live and exacerbation of health problems in their families due to pollution. They linked environmental problems with social problems in poor areas of cities.

The research highlights the case of Nottingham, a city that is an international benchmark for its green areas and which aims to become carbon neutral by 2028. Young people are aware that the city offers good green areas and quality public transport. But even in this privileged location, they report concern about street litter, air and water pollution, and a lack of recycling infrastructure. They also report feelings of hopelessness, frustration and sadness when thinking about the state of the environment in broader terms and global problems – melting glaciers, rising sea levels, extreme weather events and wildfires. When approached with solutions, respondents were skeptical about the true impact of individual initiatives.

The researchers (from three institutions – Royal Holloway University, Nottingham Trent University and Sheffield University) also heard from environmental authorities and NGOs in Greater London, a region of 9 million that includes the City of London and 32 other areas with local governments. Public policy makers emphasized that they value the participation of young citizens and are committed to making them participate in the decision-making process. This effort, if any, was not acknowledged by the youth in their interviews.

“Young people lack confidence that their voices have real influence in discussions about how to deal with the climate crisis,” warns one of the study’s authors, James Siloam, professor of politics at Royal Holloway University. We recommend that young people from diverse backgrounds be prioritized in local authority communications and community engagement, and that they actively participate in the design of local environmental policies. More environmental education should be provided in schools, including opportunities to engage in civic engagement and community projects.”