Abstract
As the triple planetary crisis intensifies, children and young people face a bleak and uncertain future with many already acutely feeling the impacts of climate change, extensive pollution and the loss of biodiversity. Although their generation bears disproportionate responsibility to address and mitigate the causes and effects of climate change in their lifetime, their unique needs, interests and entitlements are largely missing from strategic policy and practice initiatives. How, then, can we ensure that actions to address the triple planetary crisis centre and positively impact the rights and lived experiences of children and young people? Acknowledging the critical importance of measurement in defining, guiding and evaluating significant change in contemporary societies around the world, from March to October 2023, UNICEF Australia and the Young and Resilient Research Centre (Y&R) partnered to deliver a project to develop world-first child-centred indicators for climate change and climate action. The child-centred indicators are designed to enable governments, the private sector, civil society, as well as children and young people to design climate initiatives and then measure the impacts of climate policies and strategies about what matters most to children and young people themselves.
The project had two key aims: • To hear from diverse children and young people in climate-affected communities in New South Wales, Australia, about their experiences of the impacts of both climate change and climate action on their everyday lives, and to channel their insights into policy, advocacy and programming around the country. • To develop practical child-centred indicators to guide the measurement of impacts of climate change and climate action. The project used Y&R's unique youth-centred co-research methods. Forty-nine children and young people aged 10-18 years from three regions across New South Wales each participated in creative and participatory workshops. This report aims to inspires the government, community and private sectors to engage deeply with diverse Australian children and young people as we all work together to address the challenge of our lifetime.
The project had two key aims: • To hear from diverse children and young people in climate-affected communities in New South Wales, Australia, about their experiences of the impacts of both climate change and climate action on their everyday lives, and to channel their insights into policy, advocacy and programming around the country. • To develop practical child-centred indicators to guide the measurement of impacts of climate change and climate action. The project used Y&R's unique youth-centred co-research methods. Forty-nine children and young people aged 10-18 years from three regions across New South Wales each participated in creative and participatory workshops. This report aims to inspires the government, community and private sectors to engage deeply with diverse Australian children and young people as we all work together to address the challenge of our lifetime.
Original language | English |
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Place of Publication | Penrith, N.S.W. |
Publisher | Western Sydney University |
Number of pages | 118 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2024 |