The issue of climate change and its impact on all of us has been discussed in many activities implemented both by the European Union and the Council of Europe. It also appears in many policy papers issued by both institutions. It is also present in many initiatives undertaken by youth organisations and youth movements. How can we, in the youth sector, be more environmentally conscious? How can we mainstream environmentally responsible practices? How can we make the youth sector greener?

Recently, the EU-CoE youth partnership, in cooperation with the Task Force on greening the youth sector, and in consultation with youth organisations has developed the sustainability checklist, which will serve as guidelines for youth initiatives across Europe.

In this episode, we are talking to two people this time: Pegah MOULANA and Neringa TUMĖNAITĖ. 

Pegah is a human rights activist based in Europe, mostly focusing on mainstreaming and recognition of the impact that climate change will and already plays on young people. She started her lobbying work from the age of 11 and since then, has worked towards voicing the concerns of young people to decision-making bodies, including governmental authorities and institutions. She is the current Chairperson of the Climate Change task force at the Youth Department of Council of Europe. Her recent work focuses on the role the environment plays towards maintenance of peace and establishment of democracy; especially on introducing a sustainability framework which can be used by all sections of the institution. At the moment she is Chairperson of the Programming Committee on Youth, a section that is in charge of funding activities organised by youth organisations across Europe who have the aim of mobilising and educating young people on their access to rights.

Neringa is a Lithuanian Human Rights & Environmental activist, researcher and academic interested in development justice, youth empowerment and civic society cooperation. She is a member of the Pool of European Youth Researchers at the EU-Council of Europe Youth Partnership, an MPhil/PhD candidate at SOAS, University of London and the Director of Humanity Consulting. Neringa has led several forums in Asia, MENA and Eastern Africa, bringing together CSOs, entrepreneurs, activists and institutions (EU, AUC, UfM, ASEAN, Ministries) to facilitate youth-led policy recommendations (e.g. “Building Youth Partnership Opportunities to Advance UN Sustainable Development Goals for Education, Peace & Innovation.”) She has also collaborated with the World Social Forum, where she co-facilitated discussions on Environmental action and global civic society cooperation. Neringa's most recent research paper "Greening the youth sector: checklist for youth activities" focuses on the role youth organisations can play in mitigating the Climate Change.   

Hosts: Dariusz GRZEMNY and Lana PASIC. 

The transcript of this episode is available HERE (https://eu-coe-youth-partnership.transistor.fm/episodes/greening-the-youth-sector/transcript)