Empowering You(th) for Climate Action

(VIRTUAL) February - April 2022

Instructor: Laurel Zaima, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Climate School of Columbia University

Fall 2022 Pre-College Program Info Session – Empowering You(th)

Description: Climate change is impacting every facet of our lives. While climate impacts are widespread across the world, the magnitude of impacts are not felt the same due to inequitable access to resources. Low income, communities of color, and historically marginalized communities are disproportionately impacted by climate change, driving climate injustice. Addressing climate change requires everyone to be involved in the climate conversation and to take action. Climate adaptation, mitigation, and justice needs to happen on multiple levels from personal to international scales and in every discipline. Everyone must join the climate movement with their diverse skills, interests, and ideas, and youth have an especially important role to play in driving climate action.

Young people are inheriting a world with record high anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions, and consequently, intensifying climate challenges. Many students feel that local, national, and global decision are being made about them but without them, driving a feeling of helplessness and climate anxiety. However, young people around the world have bound together to make their voices heard and have merged as major players in the creation of a more climate just and sustainable future. Young people offer creativity, optimism, and fresh solution-based ideas that are often not bound by any constraints. When youth are incorporated into the climate conversation, they play an influential role in climate meetings and negotiations. These voices need to be brought to the forefront of climate planning and decision making.

Learning Objectives/Themes:

  • Acquire the skills and knowledge to address local climate challenges and to make positive change
  • Increase data literacy through the interpretation of graphs, data visualization, and trends in data sets 
  • Grow spatial and temporal understanding through investigating global and regional climate impacts
  • Gain insights into the goals and variables in developing feasible management plans and solutions 
  • Develop youth leadership skills to encourage their peers and adults to support their climate action plan for their community to ensure climate resiliency, equity, and sustainability 
  • Personally commit to climate initiatives and encourage others to join them
  • Improve science and climate communication strategies and public speaking skills

Who is the workshop for: This workshop is specifically designed to support high school learners with the knowledge, skills, and tools to drive climate action in their own communities. Relevant scientific literature and state, national, and international reports are the basis of all lessons and activities to increase learners’ climate knowledge and concepts of resiliency and understanding of solution-based management. While we will study a swath of climate effects, the focus of the regional impacts will be determined by the student body so participants feel best prepared to address the climate challenges of their area. Climate communication, adaptation, and mitigation strategies and real-world case studies will be explored to equip students with tangible climate solutions that they can implement into their climate action plans. By the end of the program, learners will have the creative freedom to develop their own solution and action plan to address a climate challenge of their community. Youth climate action and climate stories will be shared to inspire and showcase the power of youth in the climate movement. A climate action framework will be provided to ensure the learners’ plans have implementability and address key criteria, such as timelines, stakeholders, community involvement, and costs. Students will share their climate action plans with their peers and professionals in the field to gain feedback and advice to help make their plan a reality. 

Learning Modalities: This workshop will be offered in a virtual format via Zoom. It will feature a mixture of lecture, discussion, and audio/visual materials. Guest speakers will share their practical knowledge and experience as well.

Please note that all workshops are taught in English. Proficiency in written and spoken English is required.

Schedule: (VIRTUAL) February - April 2022, Saturdays, 10am - 12pm unless otherwise indicated.

  1. Session 1: Saturday, February 26 
  2. Session 2: Saturday, March 5
  3. Session 3: Saturday, March 12
  4. Session 4: Saturday, March 19
  5. Session 5: Saturday, March 26
  6. Session 6: Saturday, April 2
  7. Session 7: Saturday, April 9 (*10:00-1:00PM)