TakingITGlobal

draw on it, this report differs from the White Paper, as it follows the experience and emotions of the involved youth, the impact the project had on them, and the implications of our findings for climate change politics and education. In addition to benefiting educators, parents, and policy-makers, we believe our research has the potential to reverberate with many different people who identify as youth, whether they are younger or older than our research sample. Although we focus on youth between the ages of 13–17, those of us who conducted this study are primarily university students who identify as relatively young. Thus, we use the term 'youth' in this paper to refer to the age group we studied, but recognize this term has no definite boundaries, and draw on research that studies both children and university students. In fact, many of us who conducted the study were inspired by these youth, and we thank them profusely for the tangible impact they have had on us. We draw upon what we have learned from them in our own lives: they have inspired us to care unapologetically about climate change, and reminded us why we should. We relate to them, as fellow youth struggling to understand the best way we can take responsibility for the future we are inheriting. "Young people should be at the forefront of global change and innovation. Empowered, they can be key agents for development and peace. If, however, they are left on society's margins, all of us will be impoverished. Let us ensure that all young people have every opportunity to participate fully in the lives of their societies." Gener al Ko f i A nnan f or mer UN Secr e t ar y 06 | I N T R O D U C T I O N

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