The City of Boston is preparing now for what Boston will look like with a changing climate – but we’re also working to empower our next generation to be ready for what their future holds.
This past week, Greenovate Boston hosted a workshop with local organizations that educate youth about environment and climate change issues. The workshop presented these groups with the latest findings of the Climate Ready Boston initiative, and facilitated discussion of the best ways to integrate the updated local science into classroom curriculum, out of school programming, and youth leadership development opportunities. More than 20 attendees representing 16 organizations attended to learn and offer ideas for collaboration and communications to Boston’s youth about their futures living with climate change.
Boston’s Future with Climate Change
The workshop, led by Greenovate, BPS Green Schools and the New England Aquarium, presented the group with the latest findings of Climate Ready Boston – not only the science but also the policies and programs Boston will need to explore in order to proactively prepare. It’s particularly important to engage and familiarize young people with this topic now; their voices and opinions about Boston’s future will last for generations to come. Greenovate is particularly interested in partnering with these groups so that they can best communicate the upcoming opportunities for youth to participate in the City’s planning efforts.
The participants also had a chance to grapple with the questions of how to make this issue accessible to youth, and the best ways to communicate that their perspectives are not just welcomed, but needed. Although young people had a role in shaping the 2014 Climate Action Plan, the amount of collective influence in the room demonstrated the untapped possibilities of young voices in Boston’s climate work.
What’s Next
This workshop and its discussion provide hope and pride for how many young people in Boston are already involved and care about climate change. Participants are eager to work with Greenovate, as well as each other, to ensure Boston’s youth are connected to the opportunities to influence their future Boston.
If you would like to learn more about the participants in this workshop, and Boston’s deep commitment to youth involvement in climate change issues, click here to see some of the participants in last week’s workshop. Greenovate will also continue to collaborate to empower young people to take action on climate change.
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