Working with children and young people to conserve nature and tackle climate crisis

In the world’s toughest places to grow up, children are already bearing the brunt of the climate crisis and the extreme weather it is fuelling. As droughts and flooding destroy crops, livestock and livelihoods, children are going hungry. Many families can’t afford to send their children to school or pay for healthcare. 

We’ve teamed up with Save The Children International to reduce the impact of this crisis and tackle climate change. Together with children, young people and their communities, we’re seeking to promote a greener, safer future. 

Our partnership

Change is possible – but we need world and local leaders to make it happen, and we must involve and empower youth to be in the driving seat of that positive change. 

Together, WWF International and Save The Children International are using our combined networks to influence major policy decisions, tackle the climate crisis and prevent further harm to children’s lives.

Through our education programmes and youth mobilisation initiatives, we are providing millions of children and young people with the knowledge and skills needed to become agents of change; investing in their confidence and capacities so that they may shape their own communities’ futures for the better.     

We are also working with children and their communities to prepare for, and reduce the impacts of, climate-related shocks.

What we’ve achieved

This new strategic partnership is expected to generate a series of ambitious projects around the world, the first of which are already underway:

‘Green Generation’ is an educational model for schools that combines Save the Children’s expertise in education and WWF’s knowledge in conservation and environmental sustainability to engage children in environmental learning and projects.  Green Generation began in Myanmar and is expanding to Cambodia. 

‘Shift for Our Planet’ provides young change-makers with the support they need to influence the world around them. The pilot in Nepal has supported five youth groups to campaign on plastic pollution, afforestation, solar energy, climate change and conservation of Chiuri trees (butter trees).

“In the [Shift for Our Planet] workshop […] they have taught us how to work in the field and how to lead campaigns, to not give up, and how to work hard to achieve the goal of our campaign,” Aveen Gahatraj, of the Eco Warriors youth group.