Youth Policy Lab
26 November 2024 | 16:00 CET | Rome cavalieri | ROME – A Waldorf Astoria Hotel
The Rome MED Dialogues 2024 is organizing the 2nd edition of the Youth Policy Lab, “Navigating the Climate Crisis: Mediterranean Youth in Action” promoted by ISPI and the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in collaboration with Boston Consulting Group, CMCC (Euro-Mediterranean Center on Climate Change) Foundation, OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development) Training Centre on Public Governance, UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)- Rome Centre for Climate Action and Energy Transition, UNIMED (Mediterranean Universities Union) and Youth4Climate.
The Mediterranean is a climate change hotspot: the region is warming 20% faster than the global average. The climate crisis is a crucial challenge for both the northern and southern shores of the region with rising temperatures and extreme weather conditions which are already destabilising livelihoods and economies. In this context, geopolitical competition and conflict, such as that lingering in the Gaza Strip, Southern Lebanon and the Red Sea, risk to delay an effective mitigation and adaptation response to climate change and exacerbate existing challenges.
Young generations involved in the struggle against global warming, in the promotion of environmental justice, technological disruptions and innovative business practices are pivotal agents of climate action. In this context, the Youth Policy Lab supports the development of youth- led solutions on the climate crisis in the wider Mediterranean by acting as a global showcase for youth-led ideas. By creating a participatory space for dialogue, the forum aims to involve young generations in shaping policy recommendations and innovative ideas, thus promoting and empowering young people to influence the regional discourse on climate action, ensuring that their ideas reach the policymakers shaping the region’s climate future.
Indeed, it is both critical and urgent to question whether the “leave no one behind” vision remains relevant today, and how it can be reframed to ensure that we “leave no youth behind.” With these important questions in mind, the Youth Policy Lab will explore the potential of Mediterranean cooperation in the fields of youth participation in climate decision-making, inequality and inclusiveness, the role of start-ups and innovative thinkers and technology and innovation, in advancing youth engagement across these fields.
