Issue link: https://takingitglobal.uberflip.com/i/1055360
This project was initiated based on the premise that the marginalization of children and youth in politics is counter to democratic principles, detrimental to youth, and compromises effective decision-making. As members of society, children and youth have the same human and democratic rights that adults do. As noted by Field (2017), today's youth will face all the impacts of climate change in their lifetimes, yet they do not currently have the opportunity to contribute to mitigation and adaptation planning. Their exclusion from participating in decisions that affect their lives and communities, furthermore, is detrimental to their own personal development and well- being (Flanagan & Faison 2001; Youniss 1999). Assuming the roles and responsibilities of active citizens is the means by which adolescents come to identify the common good (Hart & Atkins 2002; Kirshner et al. 2003) and "is central for children to realize their potential in being leaders of change at the local and global levels" (Blanchet-Cohen et al. 2003). Narksompong & Limjirakan (2015) argue further that including young people in climate policy-making can help empower their critical thinking skills, further preparing them for when they are in leadership positions as adults. 1.3 RECENT SCHOLARSHIP ON YOUTH ENGAGEMENT WITH CLIMATE CHANGE Youth can also make valuable contributions to climate change decision-making. Studies have shown that children are well aware of climate change, its causes, and impacts on their communities (Berse 2017; MacDonald 2013; Haynes 2015), and they can offer innovative ideas to address these issues (Blanchet-Cohen et al. 2003; Wicks 2017). Community-level research has shown that children have unique perceptions of disaster risks, and are uniquely able to communicate these perceptions to others, which may bring about changes in behaviour that reduce those risks (Tanner & Seballos 2012). "Youth can also make valuable contributions to climate change decision-making." Youth have become increasingly involved in climate change activism in recent years, including participation in civil disobedience and legal action. They have also in some cases been actively involved in community-level efforts to reduce the impacts of climate change | 11 Y O U T H A N D C L I M A T E C H A N G E 2 0 1 8 E D I T I O N