Youth Policy Lab
Interactive Workshops for emerging youth policy leadersOur Framing Question
"How might we increase both the number and capacity of youth environmental leaders in countries facing the most significant environmental challenges to contribute to effective policy changes at the subnational, national, regional, and international levels?"The purpose of the policy lab is to support youth leaders to make positive and transformative contributions to environmental policy at the local, national, and international levels. In particular, we seek to highlight and further empower youth who have shaped the policy debate to include issues relevant to youth and elevate the positions of countries that are most vulnerable to critical environmental challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
In fall 2022, we'll gather expert speakers from the 10 Billion Strong community who have shared youth voices at the UN, in climate change negotiations, in National Action Plans & more! They have been recognized for their contributions to add the perspective of youth and issues related to youth and the environment.
The workshops will bring together youth leaders from West Africa, East Africa, South Asia, and Southeast Asia. We will start with knowledge-sharing from our speakers and then for breakout groups for participants to get targeted advice on how they can advance policy discussions in their context.Session #1 is scheduled for:
October 25, 2022
10-11:00AM - UTC
Our Fall 2022 Expert Speakers - Session 1
Czarina Panopia, Philippines
National Lead of No Plastic in Nature Initiative of the World Wide Fund for Nature - Philippines
- EE 30 under 30 Class of 2020 - North American Association of Environmental Education (NAAEE)
- Member, Biodiversity Conservation Society of the Philippines
- Master in Environment and Natural Resources Management
Jolly Nguyen, Vietnam
Founder, EVOL Vietnam
UN Women Asia & Pacific 30 for 2030
Non Executive Director, ASEAN-Australia Strategic Youth Partnership
- Country Lead of Erasmus+
- YSEALI 2019 in Sustainable Environment and Social Enterprise
- Rotary Positive Peace Asia 2022.
Garvita Gulhati, India
Founder, Why Waste?
- Ashoka Young Changemaker, Global Changemaker
- EE 30 under 30 - Changemaker - 2017 -North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
- Forbes 30 under 30
- UN Young Climate Leader
Shohail Saifullah
Youth Programme Coordinator at International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)
- Coordinator, 50 Percent
- Youth Speaker, COP26
- Youth Capacity Trainer
Session #2 is scheduled for:
October 28, 2022
1-2:00PM - UTCOur Fall 2022 Expert Speakers - Session 2
James Refugio, Philippines
Executive Director, Act Now For Ranow
- Regional Secretary, Junior Chamber International - Bicol Region
- Regional Treasurer, Association of Law Schools of the Philippines - South Luzon
Kevin Lunzalu, Kenya
Co-founder of the Kenyan Youth Biodiversity Network
- Top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders, 2021
- Member of the Young African Leadership Initiative
- Graduate Fellow at UC Santa Cruz
Abdullah Al Yousuf, Bangladesh
Judiciary of Bangladesh
- Senior Judicial Magistrate, Bangladesh Judiciary
- Special Magistrate of Environment, Bangladesh Judiciary
- Member, Environmental Justice Committee, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
- Adjunct Faculty, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Bangladesh
- Former Civil and Family Court Judge, Bangladesh Judiciary
- Former Attorney of Law, Supreme Court of Bangladesh
- Former Lecturer at World University of Bangladesh
Derrick Mugisha, Uganda
Founder & CEO Biodiversity Hub International
- Top 100 Young African Conservation Leaders
- We Got This Fellow
- Former Judge of Young Champions of the Earth
- GEF, Young Voices of the Earth
- Coalition Wild Fellow
- Nationl Coordinator Uganda Youth Biodiversity Network
- Regional Director Africa, Earth Day.Org
Shougat Nazbin Khan, Bangladesh
UN Young Leader for SDGs
- Chevening Scholar
- USAID-Gobeshona Young Researcher Fellowship
- Green Talent Award, Government of Germany
- Commonwealth Youth Award for Excellence in Development Work
- Forbes 30 under 30
- Asia 21 Young Leader Fellow, Asia Society
- United Nations Young Leader for Sustainable Development Goals
Maxwell Beganim, Ghana
Climate Advisor to the Secretary General, Pan African Youth Union
- Ghana Youth Voice, Climate change and Energy Steering Committee Member
- African Chair, Global Peace
- Pan African Youth Union, Climate Work Group
- Eco Warriors Movement, Board Member
- Energy and Climate Change Member, SYND
30-Green Days challenge
Join a Global Community to Show the Power of Collective Action
From November 1-30, 2021, join 10 Billion Strong participants, alumni, partners, and supporters on a 30 day challenge to take small daily actions which will add up to significant collective impact.
Use our suggested daily actions to reduct your impact, inspire others, and lead change or add your own creative ideas!
Submit your actions at www.bit.ly/30GreenDaysGreen campus alliance
Supporting university students to build sustainable campuses and develop leadership skills
PROGRAM SUMMARY
The Green Campus Alliance - Fall 2021 Program - is open to all U.S.-based college and university students. The program will run from Monday September 27th until Friday December 17th. The program will require 1-2 hours of online work per week and include several optional guest-speaker and group mentoring live sessions via Zoom.
Overview
The Green Campus Alliance is a structured online program to support student leaders to accelerate their actions to address sustainability issues on their campus and develop critical leadership and professional skills.
We work primarily with student sustainability clubs to provide a framework for action that is guided by connecting their campus experience to our most pressing environmental issues.
Each semester, a curated group of student club leaders join a cohort of peers from other campuses. They complete our 15 module Green Leaders Academy which is focused on environmental literacy, leadership development, and civic engagement. While learning with peers, they develop an understanding of key issues to be addressed on their campus.
Highlights
- Structured and highly-relevant environmental leadership curriculum
- Connections to student leaders from other campuses
- Access to mentorship opportunities from environmental and social change leaders
- Real-world case studies and impact models to bring back to campus
- Support to develop campus-specific action plans
- Career & potential internship advice
Participants who joined the program will work towards the following outcomes:
- Gain an understanding of the most pressing environmental issues impacting their communities and the planet.
- Develop personal and civic efficacy, as well as key social connections to support environmental actions.
The following environmental literacy, leadership, and civic engagement topics will be addressed:
- Local & Regional Environmental Overview
- Circular Economy
- Conservation
- Climate Change, Climate Adaptation, and Climate Mitigation
- Plastic & Air Pollution
- Leadership
- Social Innovation & Transformative Action
- Civic Engagement
- Environmental Movement Building
- Stakeholders and Systems
At the end of the program, each campus group is supported to develop a campus action plan for the next semester. Alumni of the program are able to access resources, mentorship, and training as they implement their campus plans and work to train other students in their networks.
In Support of the Sustainable Development Goals
Driving Collective Impact
Our ultimate goal is to advance environmental quality. As part of our values to support individual agency and allow participants to lead in their local context, we support impact towards environmental outcomes that align with any of the UN Sustainable Development Goals 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy), 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 12 (Responsible Consumption), 13 (Climate Action), 14 (Life Below Water), and 15 (Life on Land).
Flexible Online Learning
Supporting Leaders During Challenging Times
Online programs are available via learning management system (LMS) called Crew. Participants will login to access readings, course lectures, and submit reflections and short assignments. Participants can complete their work at any time that works for their schedule. This asynchronous learning methodology will allow flexibility for participants who may have unstable internet access or busy schedules. However, we ask that participants be able to complete the program within the timeline of their specific program.
- Structured and highly-relevant environmental leadership curriculum
#Cutoutcutlery and #skipthestuff
Two Collective Action Campaigns to Reduce Food Service-related Plastic Waste
According to Upstream, "In the U.S., 561 billion disposable food service items are used every year, resulting in 4.9 million tons of waste. Americans use more than 36 billion utensils and as much as 142 billion straws each year. Most restaurants provide these accessories for take-out meals even if the customer doesn’t want or need them.
Reducing Unnecessary and Unwanted Takeout Waste
Designed and Led By Habits of Waste
We're partnering with Habits of Waste to support their #CutOutCutlery campaign. This initiative has convinced the four biggest app-based food delivery platforms in the U.S. to change their user interface so that disposable items, such as cutlery, are op-in, rather than provided by default.
We're supporting this campaign by expanding it to college campuses in the U.S. You can also check out their website to make a poster for your favorite restaurant or take-out location and ask them to opt-in.
Driving Policy Change
Designed and Led by Upstream
We're proud to partner with Upstream's #SkipTheStuff national policy campaign organized through their National Reuse Network.
The goal is to enact policies in local and state government that require restaurants to “ask first” before adding all the unnecessary stuff to your order. Together we can get city, county and state legislatures to take action and enact a policy that:Requires every restaurant to ask the customer first before providing accessories
Requires meal delivery and online apps (like Uber Eats, GrubHub, Door Dash and Yelp) to post a menu of accessories (e.g. cutlery, napkins, straws, condiments, etc.) whereby a customer has to “opt-in” or select each item and quantity they want.
