Youth for the environment: Youth4Climate 2023 kicks off

From 17 to 19 October 2023, Rome will turn into the global capital of youth climate action. "Youth4Climate: Sparking Solutions 2023" will see the participation of 130 young people under 30, from as many as 63 different nations, who will meet with national and international institutions to discuss and formulate strategies to combat climate change. This will culminate in a spectacular event: on the night of 18 October, the Colosseum, one of the most iconic monuments in the world, will be lit up with the Youth4Climate logo: a symbol representing the importance of this cause.

Started as a pioneering event, Youth4Climate has garnered great interest worldwide, growing from edition to edition. This year's third edition seems to be the most ambitious. Besides being organised by the Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security, the event's secretariat has been entrusted to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Italy. Among its many objectives, the event aims to select and premier the most innovative projects submitted by young people around the world to tackle the climate crisis, promoting a constructive dialogue between young minds and international political and social actors.

The words of Minister of the Environment Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, and Agostino Inguscio, Coordinator of the UNDP Rome Climate and Energy Centre, reveal the strategic importance of this event. In a recent interview, Minister Pichetto Fratin pointed out that Italy is investing significant resources to involve young people in climate action. The UNDP Centre Coordinator in Rome, on the other hand, praised Italy for its leadership role, stating that Youth4Climate is an excellent model for involving new generations in order to create a new green economy, which is key to achieving the goals enshrined in the Paris Climate Agreement.

The programme of Youth4Climate 2023 is divided into three days of debates, presentations and discussions. On the first day, at Palazzo Rospigliosi, the projects carefully selected among the 1143 candidates will be presented, divided into four categories: urban sustainability, energy, food and agriculture, and education. The second day will feature an intensive programme of debates and focused sessions, with the participation of numerous international institutional representatives. The third and final day will be dedicated to the awarding of the winning projects at the Casina di Macchia Madama, with the participation of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani.

The third edition of Youth4Climate takes place less than a month before the start of the COP28 in Dubai: a clear demonstration of how the voice of young people is considered crucial in the global debate on climate change. Youth4Climate is not just an event, but a movement that aims to catalyse the energy, passion and ingenuity of young people to influence policy decisions and accelerate the shift towards a more sustainable future. A step towards achieving the global goals and a prelude to what will hopefully be decided during the COP28.

This is the context for 3Bee, which has always been committed to awareness-raising of citizens, organisations, companies and schools on the important topic of protecting biodiversity, the loss of which is strongly influenced by climate change. Awareness-raising is in fact one of the three fundamental pillars of 3Bee - together with monitoring and regeneration - which, through the sustainability programme dedicated to primary schools "3Bee: at school for biodiversity", works to raise ambassadors of change. This is an important opportunity for teachers and children to become active players in the fight to safeguard our planet and for 3Bee to educate tomorrow's conscious and responsible young citizens and families. Even businesses can participate in the programme, supporting a school or class in this educational path focused on biodiversity and realising the ESG goals through a commitment to social sustainability on the territory. Want to know more?