Youth in action on on climate climate change:

38 <strong>Youth</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>action</strong> on climate change: <strong>in</strong>spirations from around the world
<strong>Youth</strong>Xchange
Initiative
In 2001, the United Nations
Environment Programme
and the United Nations
Educational, Scientific
and Cultural Organization
jo<strong>in</strong>ed forces to create the
<strong>Youth</strong>Xchange Initiative.
This Initiative’s ma<strong>in</strong>
objective is to promote
susta<strong>in</strong>able consumption
and lifestyles among
young people aged 15-
24 through education,
dialogue, awareness rais<strong>in</strong>g
and capacity-build<strong>in</strong>g.
<strong>Youth</strong>Xchange works with
young people, educators,
non-governmental
organizations, tra<strong>in</strong>ers and
youth leaders around the
world through national
partners <strong>in</strong> more than 45
countries.
At the local and national
levels, partners conduct
<strong>Youth</strong>Xchange tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g and
capacity-build<strong>in</strong>g activities
supported by <strong>Youth</strong>Xchange
materials, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g the
tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g kit on responsible
consumption, an essential
and complete toolkit to tra<strong>in</strong>
and teach on susta<strong>in</strong>able
lifestyles translated <strong>in</strong>to
more than 20 languages,
thematic and regional
<strong>Youth</strong>Xchange publications
as well as the bil<strong>in</strong>gual
<strong>Youth</strong>Xchange website
(www.youthxchange.net).
The first thematic
<strong>Youth</strong>Xchange publication
was the Climate Change
and Lifestyles guidebook.
S<strong>in</strong>ce its creation more than
10 years ago, <strong>Youth</strong>Xchange
partners have taken part
<strong>in</strong> numerous awarenessrais<strong>in</strong>g
and capacity-
build<strong>in</strong>g activities related
to susta<strong>in</strong>able consumption
and lifestyles <strong>in</strong> all corners
of the world. These activities
aim at enhanc<strong>in</strong>g young
people’s understand<strong>in</strong>g of
susta<strong>in</strong>able consumption
and explor<strong>in</strong>g ways to
address environmental
challenges through
adopt<strong>in</strong>g susta<strong>in</strong>able
consumption habits and
more susta<strong>in</strong>able lifestyles.
These activities also <strong>in</strong>volve
educators, teachers and
tra<strong>in</strong>ers, policy-makers and
the media, all of whom work
with young people at the
local and national levels.
UNEP and UNESCO are
currently work<strong>in</strong>g on two
thematic guidebooks on
green skills and lifestyles,
and biodiversity and
lifestyles, as well as the first
regional <strong>Youth</strong>Xchange
guidebook on responsible
consumption for Africa.
Name of organization:
United Nations
Environment Programme
(UNEP)
Name of contact person:
Khairoon Abbas
E-mail:
Khairoon.Abbas@unep.org
Website:
www.unep.org