Children, Youth and Climate Action: Empowering Young Minds

Empowering children and youth to actively address the climate crisis by strengthening foundational climate literacy, fostering strategic partnerships, and promoting innovation that supports child-centred co-production, communication, application, and monitoring of climate services.

Objectives of the Event

• Launch COPE’s Climate Change book, presenting its innovative approach to making climate science accessible to young people.
• Highlight partnership approaches, including WMO’s collaboration with Save the Children on child-centered disaster risk reduction and climate services.
• Showcase case studies of NMHS partnership with Save the Children in Malawi, Bangladesh and Sahelian countries, demonstrating practical methods for youth and child engagement.
• Foster dialogue and collaboration, encouraging new ideas and partnerships for advancing youth climate literacy and action.
• Initiate awareness and engagement around the upcoming WMO Youth Action Plan

Provisional Agenda

Opening remarks

• Ko Barret, Deputy Secretary-General (DSG), World Meteorological Organization (WMO)
• Inger Ashling, CEO, Save the Children (online)
• Martha Keswick, COPE (launching the Climate Change book with DSG)

Global Impact of the COPE Initiative

• Lina Suarez, COPE
• Mariko Jesse, COPE

Climate Service Case Studies

• Dr. Ousmane Ndiaye, Director General, African Center of Meteorogical Application for Development (ACMAD)
• Javed Meandad, SC Bangladesh and RIMES on child-centred climate services and anticipatory action in Bangladesh
• Dr. Lucy Mtilatila, PR Malawi on Department of Climate Change and Meteorological Services (DCCMS) support for child-centred climate services with Save the Children in Malawi
• Emma Visman, Lead on Climate and Anticipatory Action, Save the Children

The Future of Youth Engagement at WMO

• Theo Wellington, WMO

Interactive discussion/Q&A — Strengthening engagement and partnerships

Closing 

• Johan Stander, WMO