Ministers Ryan and O'Gorman publish the Report of the National Youth Assembly on Climate

Minister Eamon Ryan and Minister Roderic O’Gorman welcome the joint publication of a report on the National Youth Assembly on Climate.

Eamon Ryan, Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications; and Roderic O’Gorman, Minister for Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth, have published the report of the 2023 National Youth Assembly on Climate. This report is an integral part of the government’s National Dialogue on Climate Action and annual Climate Action Plan.

The report presents the National Youth Assembly on Climate’s recommendations for consideration to be included in Ireland’s Climate Action Plan 2024. The key recommendations from the Youth Assembly relate to the areas of sustainable transport, circular economy, and communication, engagement, and climate literacy.

The report of the National Youth Assembly on Climate provides a detailed record of the assembly discussions, captures the views of young people from across Ireland and reflects the concerns of young people in relation to climate issues.

Delegates from the assembly have requested the government increase routes on public transport, provide more incentives for people to use public transport, place a tariff or tax on fast fashion, and support businesses that make efforts to repair and reuse products. Delegates also suggested that a climate education programme for all ages should be introduced, and a cohesive media and communications strategy around climate action should be developed. Detailed recommendations for action within these areas are included in the report.Minister Ryan welcomed the publication of the report:

Minister O’Gorman also welcomed the publication and the recommendations of the assembly, saying:

The Report of the National Youth Assembly on Climate is available to view on the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications website.

Establishment of the National Youth Assembly of Ireland

The Department of Children, Disability, Equality, Integration and Youth (DCEDIY) has established a National Youth Assembly of Ireland. The establishment of youth assemblies is a commitment in the Programme for Government 2020. The assembly acts as a consultative forum for children and young people between the ages of 12 and 24 on issues that are important to them. It provides a systematic means of capturing the voices of young people in Ireland and feeding this directly into the development of government policy.

The National Youth Assembly on Climate is a forum where young people aged 12–24 years, from across the country, are provided with the opportunity to make recommendations directly to Government to inform the Climate Action Plan. Approximately 60 young delegates from Comhairle na nÓg (Local Youth Councils), various youth organisations and climate organisations are contributing their ideas and recommendations at the assembly. By hearing from young people, the National Youth Assembly of Ireland provides insight into some of the concerns facing young people, and assists Government in acting on the potential solutions that young people propose.

The assembly meets up to four times a year on different issues, including an annual meeting as the Youth Assembly on Climate. The Youth Assembly on Climate acts as a vehicle for dialogue and will develop recommendations from young people for inclusion in the government’s Climate Action Plan. The first National Youth Assembly on Climate took place online on 2 March 2022. The second National Youth Assembly on Climate took place on 11 March 2023.

Voice of the children and young people

Under Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Ireland is committed to giving children and young people a say in decision-making and a voice in decisions that affect their lives. The continued participation of young people in youth assemblies such as the Youth Assembly on Climate ensures that we can include the voice of children and young people in the development of both local and national services and policies.

Including the voice of the child in decision-making is a priority for DCEDIY and plays an important role in leading government efforts to ensure that children and young people have a voice in decisions that affect their lives.

DCEDIY’s National Participation Office works across local and national government to build, develop and sustain structures to enable the meaningful participation of children and young people in decision-making at local and national levels.

National Dialogue on Climate Action (NDCA)

A fundamental element of the realisation of the ambitions of Climate Action Plan 2023 is the engagement and empowerment of everyone in society to co-create solutions that are relevant to them.

The NDCA is the key mechanism through which climate actions related to public engagement, participation, community action, networking and capacity-building activities are delivered in Ireland. The NDCA is led by the Department of the Environment, Climate and Communications (DECC), with secretariat support provided by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The NDCA has four key objectives:

• increasing awareness of climate change based on evidence
• delivering an inclusive programme of engagement to inform climate policy
• promoting climate literacy and improving people’s capacity to act
• empowering people to make positive behavioural changes that improve their quality of life

The National Youth Assembly on Climate represents a significant milestone in the NDCA programme.