Volunteerism
Young people lending their time for climate action and environmental protection
Today’s young people experience the impact of climate change every day, even though they are least responsible for it.
In the face of this global crisis, young people are rising to the challenge and taking action to protect the planet. From planting trees, cleaning up rivers and beaches, helping communities cope, and advocating for renewable energy, young people are leading the way in the fight. At the forefront of these actions is volunteerism.
Volunteerism is a powerful way for young people to make a difference in the fight against climate change. It is also a way for them to connect with other young people who are passionate about the same cause.
We know that volunteering on climate change has a two-fold impact:
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When young volunteers take action, they create real, visible changes in the environment — for example, more trees thanks to volunteers planting them, cleaner access to water because of youth-led conservation efforts, and young people pinpointing air pollution hotspots and figuring out how to make the air safer for everyone.
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Volunteerism also helps young volunteers improve their skills — they learn valuable skills like solving problems, working in teams, leading projects, and talking things out with others. They also become more knowledgeable about climate and sustainability. Plus, they build connections with other young people who care about the planet.
Global Impact through adolescent and youth-powered climate volunteerism
By engaging young volunteers in The Green Rising, we support a bigger and more inclusive movement for sustainability, inspiring young people to act collectively to respond to the devastating impact that climate change is causing. Here are just a few examples from the field:
Brazil: #EntreNoClimaUNICEF
In Brazil's #EntreNoClimaUNICEF initiative, young volunteers are actively addressing various climate change impacts through monthly action days. Each month focuses on a different climate theme, like deforestation, biodiversity, indigenous practices, food, and well-being. Volunteers across the country work on these themes to foster a culture of sustainability through consistent actions that demonstrate monthly impact. They are active in both urban and rural areas, with a particular emphasis on the Amazon and Semiarid regions, known for their vulnerability to climate change. Over 6,800 young volunteers have participated, with 480 Action Day activities in 212 municipalities, engaging some 233,000 people across communities in the Northeast. The goal over three years is to engage 160,000 young volunteers in monthly climate action days to help communities adapt to climate-induced changes.
India: Youth Engagement for Water Stewardship
Young volunteers in Maharastra and Karnataka, two drought-prone states in India, are taking a series of water-saving actions that will conserve an estimated 40 million cubic litres of water over the next 3 years. There are seven actions that volunteers are focusing on to begin with, from fixing leaky pipes to advocating for community soak pits. These simple actions are led by 1.1 million young volunteers where every small activity, when done collectively, leads to really meaningful impact on the aggregate. Through these actions, young volunteers will improve water access and quality for 4 million people in their communities. Moreover, during the run-up to World Environment Day, fueled by consistent support from UNICEF and YuWaah, the Meri LiFE mission galvanised 25.8 million people, of which at least 10 million were young people, aged 10-29 years, who had participated in and/or led one or more pro planet action.
Mongolia: Youth for Climate and Clean Air Network
Young volunteers in Mongolia are using citizen-science to investigate how air pollution affects them and to take a leading role in educating and mobilising local action. Equipped with air pollution monitoring devices, young volunteers have been tracking and recording air quality levels, and using that information to map hot spots, notify their communities on bad days, and educate their peers and public about ways to stay safe from toxic air. To date 60,000 young volunteers have collected and disseminated information on climate change and air pollution, impacting more than a million people through volunteer actions across 11,600 kilometers in the country.
