LEAD helps Asia Young Leaders Climate Forum take action on climate change

In December 2008, LEAD and the British Council delivered a climate change action workshop for the Asia Young Leaders Climate Forum (AYLCF). The AYLCF is a youth climate action project set up by the British Council, WWF and CIFOR to stimulate youth engagement with climate change. The workshop helped AYLCF develop a climate action agenda and project ideas for helping young people and communities tackle climate change

What Happened?

Over four and a half days, LEAD worked with thirty-four young people from fourteen different countries in the region to create a climate action group that would go on to implement projects where they work and/or live to either mitigate or adapt to climate change.

“Working with the 34 young leaders that formed the inaugural AYLCF was a wonderful, exciting and energising experience! Watch this space, great things will happen...”
Vanessa Rudge, LEAD trainer

Achievements

At the end of the workshop six elected participants presented their vision for the AYLCF at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali (COP13). Economist Nick Stern was so impressed he agreed to mentor the AYLCF as they forge ahead.

Ideas generated during the workshop will also feed into a much bigger programme of work through the British Council that has young people at its core. AYLCF projects will form the agenda for action for young people to implement across the Asian Pacific region with anticipated support from in-country and regional partners.

This short (8 minute) movie http://youtube.com/watch?v=JqesLQ4ZTuE created by AYLCF members presents their achievements so far, explains their mission, vision and perspectives on the need for change, and puts forward their hopes for the future.

What next?

The AYLCF is part of a 3 year project being run by the British Council working collaboratively with the WWF and CIFOR in the Asia Pacific Region. The British Council will continue to work with the group and help identify partners that will be able to assist the AYLCF to implement climate change adaptation / mitigation projects in country. They are also hoping that cross country / regional projects will be estbalished as a result of participation in the first AYLCF.

A dynamic website with photos, news and resources has been created to support and promote the AYLCF movement, http://community.britishcouncil.org/aylcf.

Release date: Friday, December 7, 2007