Young people and cities are driving climate action together
Connecting youth activism with city leadership
Young people are vital to climate action. They are the most affected generation: nearly half the global population is under 30[1]. Their ideas, energy, and unique power to mobilise can reshape how we take climate action.
Young people have helped to put the climate emergency on the political agenda, demanding justice, urgent transformation, and a seat at the decision-making table.
C40 partners with youth climate leaders to drive the bold city climate action this moment demands. Through the C40 Youth Hub and City Youth Engagement Network, young people and city officials build partnerships, share strategies, and develop the capacity to ensure youth voices shape the climate-resilient cities we are building together.
What C40 Youth Engagement delivers
C40 cities have ambitious targets that depend on collaboration with young people to build the next generation of climate leaders and drive lasting change: cutting fossil fuel use in half by 2030, protecting people from climate impacts, and creating good green jobs that pay fairly.
As the C40 Youth Team, we help make this collaboration possible. We amplify young voices and ensure everyone can participate in creating urban climate action:
Youth Hub: connect young climate leaders
The C40 Youth Hub connects young climate leaders from cities worldwide. Here, they share strategies, multiply their impact, and build the peer networks that will sustain this movement long into the future.
Supporting cities to meaningfully engage young people
The City Youth Engagement Network ensures that young voices, especially from communities hit hardest by climate breakdown, shape the policies that will determine their futures. We equip mayors and city officials with proven frameworks that turn youth engagement from consultation into partnership.
Pathways into good green jobs
C40 Cities has curated essential resources to help young people navigate the growing green economy. Discover what good, green jobs are, explore career pathways, access toolkits and reports, and find job boards connecting you to opportunities in renewable energy, sustainable transport, and more sectors building our climate-resilient future.
Our Youth Team is here to answer your questions. Explore how you or your city can get involved in C40’s Youth Engagement Programme by contacting us at youth@c40.org.
Young people building good green careers
In Nigeria, Youth Hub member Baliqees Salaudeen co-founded Green Republic Farms. She leads projects that have helped over 50 women and young people with climate-smart agriculture. Her story shows that any skill, from farming to tech to design, can contribute to building a sustainable future.
Read about Baliqees’ journey and meet other Youth Hub members.
What we do
Explore C40’s youth platforms that connect young people with each other and with city leaders
A peer-to-peer learning platform for cities, providing a space for collaboration and sharing of knowledge and best practices, to increase youth engagement and participation in city climate action.
Bringing together young climate leaders to collaborate, create positive change, and accelerate inclusive climate action in cities.
Frequently asked questions
How can young people get involved in city climate action?
You can join or create youth climate councils, take part in local consultations, or connect through networks like the C40 Youth Hub. These platforms give you a voice in shaping how your city responds to the climate crisis.
What role do mayors and city officials play in youth engagement?
City leaders can make sure youth voices are heard and acted on. They can do this by:
- adding youth perspectives to climate action plans.
- supporting youth-led initiatives.
- creating safe, inclusive spaces for participation.
What can I realistically expect to achieve through city-level climate engagement?
Cities run transport, set building codes, manage waste, create green spaces, and more. Young people have won support for bike lanes, pushed through tougher energy rules for buildings, encouraged cities to buy renewable power, and forced climate emergency votes. Progress takes time, but local governments tend to be more accessible and responsive than national-level politics.
What support do young people need to participate effectively in climate planning?
Clear information about how governments work, background on climate issues, skill-building opportunities, mentorship from staff or older participants, and practical support for participation. Many young people also benefit from connecting with peers facing similar challenges in other cities.
How do we maintain momentum when political priorities shift or administrations change?
Embed youth engagement in formal policy processes and organisational structures rather than relying on individual champions. Document successful approaches, train multiple staff members on youth engagement, and help young participants build relationships across different departments and political parties.
Resources
Related
Cities are delivering climate action that addresses inequality, creates good green jobs, and ensures everyone has access to clean air, healthy food, and safe homes.
C40 ensures mayors have a voice at COP, G20, and other forums where decisions are made that affect cities’ ability to deliver climate action.
Cities worldwide are proving that climate action is most successful when equity and fairness are at the heart of every decision.
