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AUGUST 2021 NEWSLETTER

“The youth is the hope of our future.”
– José Rizal

UNEP YEA! Updates

G20 Environmental Education Commitments

For the Italian G20, UNEP and the Y20 collaborated on a set-piece event that explored how formal and non-formal education channels can accelerate youth leadership on environmental action. As Minister Cingolani said, “revolutions need well prepared minds.”

In the final communique, the G20 agreed to “commit to enhance cooperation and foster stronger effective measures, in cooperation with other ministers, to ensure that  younger  citizens  become  and  remain  environmentally  conscious  through  formal,  non-formal  and informal,  education channels.” UNEP will seek to support the G20 in taking this forward.

Join us in the Race to Zero for Universities and Colleges

We are in the final stretch of the Race to Zero campaign in the lead-up to COP26. If your higher education institution hasn’t yet joined the Race to Zero for Universities and Colleges, now is the time to demonstrate your institutions’ leadership on a global scale. Share your net zero commitment today to be part of a group of front-runners in the sector making ambitious commitments and acting as leaders in the move to a net zero future.

Join us today!

Actors4Change Social Media Challenge

This year’s International Youth Day theme is “Transforming Food Systems: Youth Innovation for Human and Planetary Health”. The World Food Forum, UNEP, WWF and FAO are partnering to launch the #Actors4Change video challenge.

Join the movement: They are looking for youthful individuals to inspire the world to take part in the transformation of the world’s agri-food systems. Send in your short videos by Thursday 30 September 2021 18:00 (CEST) for the chance to be featured on the World Food Forum social media channels. More info can be found here.

Healthy Air, Healthy Planet:
Join us on 7 Sept 2021

7 September 2021 marks the second World Clean Air Day under the theme of ‘Healthy Air, Healthy Planet’ which correlates air pollution to not only human health but also planetary health. This is particularly relevant in the aftermath of COVID-19 as the world focusses it collective efforts toward building back better.

Often, you can’t see air pollution, but it is everywhere. Air pollution causes approximately 7 million premature deaths annually, making it the single greatest environmental risk to human health and one of the main avoidable causes of death and disease globally. We all breathe the same air and one atmosphere protects and sustains us all – pollution is a global problem and we must act together to combat it.

Join us today by spreading the message about air pollution – the problem, its impact on our lives and the solutions. Please find here resources which can be posted on social media. Video scripts which you can use to record your own video and video recording guidelines can be found here.

Open Call: Global Young Academy Membership

The 2022 GYA membership call is open until 15 Sept 2021 (18.00 UTC)

Applications are currently being sought from young, independent scholars who combine the highest level of research excellence with a demonstrated passion for delivering impact.

More information on how to apply, as well as the online application form can be found here!

LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES:

8-10 September 2021:
African Youth Initiative on Climate Change

The African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYIOC), which brings together all African youth organizations working on climate change, with the support of the High Level Climate Champions, is organizing the 4th African Youth Conference on Climate Change, from 8 to 10 September 2021.   

The conference brings together African youth to share, discuss and exchange experiences on how to tackle climate change, and through what actions. It is also an opportunity for young people to build momentum towards COP26.

To join the conference, please register here: https://bit.ly/3ggN9aC.

AimHi’s New Online Course:
Everything you need to know about climate, nature and how to make a difference

AimHi Earth is on a mission to transform global understanding of climate and nature. They’ve joined forces with Cambridge Zero and the Eden Project to create a live and interactive four-part course designed to teach you what you need to know about the greatest existential threat in history, the climate and nature crisis, and what can be done about it.

Starting 20 September 2021, this course will equip you with the skills to cut through misinformation, communicate with impact, and build solutions. Running Monday evenings and Sunday mornings UK time, this run of AimHi Earth’s Climate and Nature Course will be broadcast LIVE from the domes of the Eden Project – celebrating biodiversity and showcasing some of the sustainable innovations pioneered by this group.

Tickets are £25, but tickets will be offered for free for anyone who inquires, no questions asked. The course has times suitable for every time zone. Click here to see what time the Monday evening lesson will be where you are and here to see about Sunday.

For more information visit aimhi.earth or please email 

Climate Change, Peace & Security:
Massive Open Online Course

This self-paced, online course unpacks the interlinkages between climate change, peace and security and explores opportunities for promoting inclusive climate action, conflict prevention and peace-building.

Interested? Register for the course here today!

18 September: International Day of Peace Event

Join us at the International Day of Peace Event – Dialogue with victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bombings:
On 18 September 2021, a group of colleagues from the UN, the World Bank and ICUN provide you with a rare opportunity to speak with the victims of atomic bombings “hibakusha”. As the average age of survivors is nearing 84, we are the last generation to hear their direct voices, as they urge for peace and share their experiences from nearly 76 years ago.Registration: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMvce6grjosE9FBSOYjVNNhaQc2QmLMEquD

Get In Touch With Us

We would love to hear from you – What would you like to hear more about in these newsletters? Let us know and we’ll do our best to share content to your liking. And if you have any interesting calls to action, research asks or helpful information to share with others around the environment / sustainability / higher education theme, please don’t hesitate to send them to [email protected]  and we will select a few to include in our next newsletter.