With its Just Transition Mechanism, the EU is providing additional support to fossil fuel-producing regions to transition away from coal and oil and accelerate the energy transition. This involves envisioning a new future beyond fossil fuels for these territories, with new generations being integral to the process from the outset. In 2022, GCE, in collaboration with the NGO Bankwatch, published two reports on youth inclusion in the implementation of the just transition. The reports revealed that while youth have been consulted in most EU Member States, meaningful engagement has been very limited. In response to these findings, GCE has also supported YEE and its consortium in managing the EUTeens4Green call for projects, which focuses on youth initiatives in regions supported by the Just Transition Mechanism.

Between 2023 and 2024, the team has been developing the report “Energy Poverty among Youth in the EU,” which evaluates the extent to which young people are impacted by energy poverty across the EU. The purpose of this project is not only to investigate the effects of energy poverty on young people but also to advocate for a stronger role for youth on energy poverty. Additionally, the team aims to promote targeted measures for youth and provide them with a toolkit to address energy poverty at the national level.

Despite the rising awareness of the climate crisis, the complexities of the socio-ecological system that induced, but could also solve the crisis, are often simplified. Knowledge of the interdependencies of our interconnected system allows us to come up with ideas for how society can be transformed in a way that will not simply shift the burden elsewhere and that guarantees the consideration of justice at the heart of our decision-making. Policies implemented today, as well as lack of climate action, both impact the world in which today’s youth will build and shape their lives. Thus, sustainability education across but also beyond educational systems is a powerful tool for young people to be equipped with and empowered to become part of the conversations on the direction concrete climate policy should take. The role of education and training to combat climate change is increasingly recognised. At COP26, education and environmental ministers came together in an historic event to talk about education and climate action. With the establishment of the Education for Climate Coalition and a new proposal by the European Commission to the Council of the EU for learning specifically for environmental sustainability, 2022 is set to be a year of increased efforts in making sustainability education a reality.

The Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is the main international forum on climate action, gathering all world governments at the same table. Nevertheless, according to the Climate Action Tracker, pledges and actions defined last year at COP26 in Glasgow are still insufficient to reach the 1.5°C target set by COP21 in 2015. Despite the world running out of time to limit the rise of global temperature, the level of global climate ambition still falls short. It is fundamental to put pressure on our representatives to make sure both the EU and the rest of the world take real, meaningful action to comply with the Paris Agreement at the upcoming COP27 in Egypt. Climate justice will remain at the core of our message to COP, and we will take on board youth partners from the whole Europe and the world to put it at the core of global climate action as well.

Our aim is to ensure that the priorities of youth organisations and young people are represented and given a space in the European Climate Pact.

Our aim is to advocate for and work towards increased circularity in food systems and agroecology practices in Europe.

Our aim is to ensure that young people are informed on and engaged in the discussions on and the implementation of the European Supply Chain Law.