READY,RESET,ACTION!

By Elsbeth van Paridon

Whether you are a fan of Swedish environmental activist Greta Thunberg， Belgiums Anuna de Wever or Chinas Howey Ou， one thing is clear： Climate change is trending and has become a hashtag of great concern to many millennials and Gen Zs worldwide. The year 2021 got off to a promising start in terms of climate change. In February， the United States announced its return to the Paris Agreement. On July 14， the European Union adopted its first ambitious climate bill.

A for effort all around， but not nearly good enough， according to the worlds younger generations .

The Global Young Leaders Dialogue（GYLD） 2021 Annual Forum on July 29 decided to bring climate change to the table at a panel of representatives from various fields—fashion to architecture to water infrastructure. The Power of the Young Voices： Climate Change and Sustainable Development plenary saw participants sit down for an in-depth discussion hosted by the author.

In the face of the trials and tribulations affecting the future of humankind， the question is how to inspire， engage and mobilize millennials and Gen Zs in the promotion of sustainable development. And the first step to inspiration is education—because knowledge is power.

Do as the objective actually reads and “sustain.” Instead of always looking for groundbreaking options or starting from scratch， one important lesson is that we must never forget to look at whats already in front of us. “Young people must indeed get innovative and look into the use of new technologies， but should never forget about the natural resources they already have access to. They must learn to sustain what they have，”Joseph Mendoo， co-founder of the China-Africa Youth Foundation and head of the delegation of African Youth in China， highlighted. Recycle or upcycle your wardrobe. Hop on a（mo）bike. Bring a lunchbox to work.

This attitude reset is a first step， one with palpable results.

Incorporating sustainable development into the school curriculum and helping young people gain an understanding of the practical applications of sustainable concepts， from recycling to carbon emission reduction is key. “Younger generations are valuedriven， and sometimes almost ideologically so. They need to learn how to align their values with the realities of daily life to avoid disillusion，”Kseniya Otmakhova， Lead Manager of Beijingbased Ballistic Architecture Machines New Silk Road Initiatives， said.