An new international fund that focuses on young people looking to lead a generation on climate has selected New Westminster as one of its first participants.
The city has received $50,000 from the first-ever Youth Climate Action Fund — and has the opportunity for $100,000 more if there's interest — to award local youth "changemakers and activists" looking to brainstorm climate change solutions.
That's one out of 100 cities around the world chosen for the microgrant — one of six in Canada and the only community in B.C.:
- Guelph, Ont.
- Halifax, N.S.
- Kitchener, Ont.
- Oakville, Ont.
- The Blue Mountains, Alta.
The money is being distributed by Bloomberg Philanthropies, a foundation founded by Michael R. Bloomberg that aims to create change in arts, education, environment, government innovation and public health.
The Youth Climate Action Fund was launched to provide financial and technical assistance for young people aged 15 to 24 inspired to "design, produce, and govern urgent climate solutions in their cities."
"The most successful climate action centers people," said Bloomberg Philanthropies spokesperson Antha Williams in a release sent to the Record.
"The Bloomberg Philanthropies Youth Climate Action Fund will help marshal a new era for cities by providing technical expertise and funds to deliver the hope, perspective, and talents of young people to help address the climate crisis head-on and build more sustainable cities for generations to come."
New West Mayor Patrick Johnstone is the formal recipient of the funding, as were the 99 other mayors included in the April 10 announcement.
Johnstone, at a date to be determined, will make an open call for youth applicants to pitch climate mitigation ideas, which can include:
- Youth-led awareness, education, research and development initiatives
- Youth-led climate education programs; youth climate hackathons; youth-developed climate surveys and research; youth-informed clubs or curriculum; and youth-designed public art and awareness campaigns.
- Youth-driven climate mitigation and adaptation projects
- Youth-led community gardening, tree planting, reforestation, and urban farming campaigns; youth-managed recycling and waste reduction programs; and youth-produced climate resilience workshops and disaster preparedness programs.
- Co-governed youth climate action plans
- Partnerships between city leaders and youth groups to inform climate-related policy ideas, decisions, or actions or the formation of youth climate ambassadors or advisory boards.
According to Bloomberg Philanthropies, 84 per cent of youth around the world claim to be worried about climate change and its threats to people and the planet.
"From mobilizing tree-planting or public education campaigns to launching recycling or waste reduction initiatives to participating in mitigation planning or preparedness programs, efforts stemming from the new Youth Climate Action Fund will advance critical community goals such as meeting decarbonization commitments or reducing consumption-based emissions," Bloomberg's release added.
"Cities that respond to the urgency of the moment and commit the initial $50,000 within six months will receive an additional $100,000 to support more youth-driven projects over the course of one year."
Notable global cities part of the inaugural Youth Climate Action Fund included Athens, Greece; Bristol, U.K.; Melbourne, Australia; Santiago, Chile; as well as American cities like Atlanta, Cincinnati, New Orleans and West Palm Beach.
For more information about the initiative, you can visit Bloomberg Philanthropies' website.
