The climate crisis is already here, and today's youth and future generations will face its most severe consequences. That includes the approximately one billion young people who live in less developed regions-one-quarter of whom live in the world's Least Developed Countries (LDCs), where climate change impacts are the most severe. Indeed, without accelerated climate action, children born in the year 2020 could experience up to seven times more extreme weather events like scorching heatwaves during their lifetimes compared to their grandparents.1 While young people have contributed little to climate change, they are the ones who are and will continue to be disproportionately affected by its damaging environmental and social impacts. Moreover, while climate change alone does not cause conflict, its impacts can exacerbate vulnerabilities, undermine livelihoods, and increase grievances and tensions which may in some cases increase the risk of violent conflict. These interlinked challenges demand urgent and collective action.

Across the globe, many young people are now assuming responsibility for responding to the unsustainable societal and environmental trajectories set by previous generations. They are driving change in their communities and on the global stage to address the interlinked climate and conflict crises-everything from leading efforts to restore our natural world to influencing the outcomes of climate negotiations and leading efforts for climate justice and intergenerational equity in courtrooms. Others are finding innovative ways of adapting to new uncertain realities. It is crucial to move beyond viewing young people only as vulnerable and to recognize their resilient responses, while reinforcing their pivotal roles as leaders in climate and peace action. Young people, in all their diversity, have the undeniable right to participate in decision-making processes, charting paths toward mitigating the impacts of climate-related risks and sustaining peace. Their meaningful engagement is not optional; it is essential for effectively addressing climate-related security risks and ensuring a sustainable future.

Although the connections between youth, climate, peace and security are evident in reality, they have not been adequately translated into integrated policy and programming approaches. This guidance note by the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) is the first of its kind that bridges the climate, peace and security (CPS) and youth, peace and security (YPS) agendas. It sheds new light on how young people are at the leading edge of these efforts-already acting and working in an integrated manner to address climaterelated security risks. It also provides practitioners with exploratory guidance and considerations for creating an integrated agenda on youth, climate, peace and security within research and analysis, programming, strategic planning, policy-making, and funding that can ultimately drive progress on the Sustainable Development Goals.

Read full article: Beyond Vulnerability: A Guidance Note on Youth, Climate, Peace, and Security

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