The Rise of Youth Climate Councils

The headaches and nosebleeds are still fresh in Caden King’s mind. In October 2015, when he was 10, natural gas began leaking from a facility near his home in California. It smelled horrible and made many residents sick. It also forced thousands, including Caden’s family, to relocate for months. The gas continued spewing until the following February. Over that period, it released 109,000 metric tons of methane, a greenhouse gas. It was the worst methane leak in U.S. history.

The experience spurred Caden, now 17, to get involved in climate activism. He’s part of the Mayor’s Youth Council for Climate Action (M.Y.C.C.A.) in Los Angeles. This new group of young people works closely with the local government to protect the environment. The youth who are part of the group do this in a variety of ways, from planting trees to tightening limits on plastic use.

And the M.Y.C.C.A. isn’t alone. Recently, groups of teens around the country have sprung up to advise their local governments on fighting climate change.

“Young people can offer fresh ideas that others may not be able to consider,” Caden says. “We have to have a say in order to ensure that our priorities are met.”

Most of these councils formed in the past few years. Still, they’ve already begun offering new ideas. Their efforts aim to protect the planet going forward while dealing with the effects of climate change that have already stacked up. For example, the teen-led group Cool Kids, Cool Places, Cool Futures (often shortened to “Cool Kids”) in Tempe, Arizona, has focused on extreme heat. The city already sees on average about 30 days a year when temperatures top 110 degrees Fahrenheit. In the 1950s, that only happened about 10 days a year. Scientists say climate change will make the area even hotter and drier.

This summer, Cool Kids worked with city government to hand out packs of hot weather essentials to hundreds of people experiencing homelessness. The kits included water bottles, towels, and pet bowls.

The group also organizes events like education sessions, scavenger hunts, and poetry slams to inform the community. And Cool Kids infuses art into their work whenever possible.

“Climate justice isn’t just about researching and finding out what the numbers are,” says Timara Crichlow, a former Tempe official who helped the group get started. “We want to acknowledge that climate anxiety is very real . . . and art gives us a way to express that.”

City governments play a key role in organizing these youth councils. Still, officials are quick to point out that each group’s priorities are set by the teens, not lawmakers. For instance, youth council members in Los Angeles decide what to focus on each school year. They then split into subcommittees to get the job done. Last year, Caden co-led a committee that delved into zero-waste policies. The group worked with a city council member and the L.A. Sanitation & Environment department to come up with 14 recommended ordinances to help cut waste at city events. The city council adopted all 14 recommendations.

And of course, these youth climate groups also devote time to caring for the planet. Students in Tempe started a native plant garden to create more shade for heat relief, for example, while Boise’s Youth Climate Action Council planted a carbon sequestration garden, designed to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

Many of these teens say they’re doing this work not just for their own futures but also to help others, especially people in low-income households or those already dealing with climate change in the U.S. and abroad.

Maya Sofia, 18, from Boise, the daughter of a Guatemalan immigrant, visited Guatemala recently and witnessed landslides that destroyed important roads during the worst rainy season in decades.  The experience inspires her work now.

“It’s important to advocate for people facing the brunt of the consequences of the climate crisis,” she says.

And of course, these youth climate groups also devote time to caring for the planet. For example, students in Tempe started a native plant garden to create more shade for heat relief. And Boise’s Youth Climate Action Council planted a garden designed to absorb carbon dioxide from the air.

Many of these teens say this work is about more than their own futures. They say they want to help others, especially people in low-income households or those already dealing with climate change in the U.S. and abroad.

Maya Sofia, 18, from Boise, is the daughter of a Guatemalan immigrant. She visited Guatemala recently and saw landslides that destroyed important roads during the worst rainy season in decades. The experience inspires her work now.

“It’s important to advocate for people facing the brunt of the consequences of the climate crisis,” she says.

The work can be difficult, though, students say, because not everyone feels the same urgency when it comes to protecting the environment.

“It feels challenging knowing that a lot of people in my community personally don’t know anything about climate action, climate change, or anything,” says Lina Douglas, 15, of Tempe.

These councils are eager to spread the word about their work so teens around the world might be inspired to start their own youth councils. It’s a unique opportunity to influence the policies where you live, they say. And for a lot of youth council members, meeting other like-minded people can be a relief.

“You start getting the idea like, oh, you’re not as alone in this as you might have thought,” Sofia says.

And all these local actions can add up to make a difference, notes Caden.

“I want to be somewhere that’s safe for me and the generations to come,” he says. “Our words have been undermined for far too long, and it’s now time to take initiative.”

But students say that the work can be tough. That’s because not everyone feels the same urgency when it comes to protecting the environment.

“It feels challenging knowing that a lot of people in my community personally don’t know anything about climate action, climate change, or anything,” says Lina Douglas, 15, of Tempe.

These councils are eager to spread the word about their work so teens around the world might be inspired to start their own youth councils. It’s a unique chance to shape the policies where you live, they say. And for a lot of youth council members, meeting other like-minded people can be a relief.

“You start getting the idea like, oh, you’re not as alone in this as you might have thought,” Sofia says.

And all these local actions can add up to make a difference, notes Caden.

“I want to be somewhere that’s safe for me and the generations to come,” he says. “Our words have been undermined for far too long, and it’s now time to take initiative.”