Youth Think Tank

Empowering Youth Voices in Climate Action

Youth Think Tanks are engagement activities that bring together young people from Mediterranean island communities to actively participate in shaping climate neutrality strategies. These initiatives recognize that youth are not just stakeholders of the future, but essential contributors to present day climate action and policy development.

Objectives

The Youth Think Tanks serve as catalysts for meaningful youth participation in climate governance, working to:

Amplify Youth Perspectives - Ensure young voices are heard and integrated into local and regional climate action planning and decision-making processes
Foster Innovation - Harness the creativity and fresh thinking of young people to develop innovative solutions for island decarbonization challenges
Build Climate Leadership - Develop the next generation of climate leaders through hands-on engagement with real-world sustainability challenges
Bridge Generations - Create meaningful dialogue between youth, policymakers, researchers, and community leaders to co-create climate solutions

Engagement Activities

Each Youth Think Tank features a variety of participatory activities designed to maximize youth engagement and impact:

Interactive workshops & debates - Students are introduced to decarbonisation, climate neutrality, and landscape integration through guided discussions and group work
Peer-to-Peer Learning - Interactive, play-based sessions that make climate education hands-on and accessible
Tool based scenario building - Using the CO2 PACMAN Tool, students explore solutions and draft preliminary climate-neutral scenarios for their islands

Participant Engagement

Youth Think Tanks bring together diverse young participants including students, youth organization members, and climate activists from pilot island communities. The inclusive approach ensures representation of different backgrounds, perspectives, and areas of expertise, creating a rich environment for collaborative problem-solving.

Expected Outcomes

Through the Youth Think Tank initiatives, the CO2 PACMAN project aims to achieve:

Concrete youth-generated recommendations integrated into island climate action plans
Increased youth awareness and understanding of climate neutrality challenges and opportunities
Strengthened networks of young climate leaders across Mediterranean island communities
Youth-led pilot projects demonstrating innovative approaches to decarbonization
Enhanced intergenerational collaboration on climate action
Replicable models for youth engagement in climate governance

Youth Leadership

A defining feature of Youth Think Tanks is their youth-led approach. These activites empower youth to take leadership roles in designing, facilitating, and implementing climate action initiatives. This approach recognizes that meaningful youth participation requires a genuine decision-making power and the resources to turn ideas into action.