Youth for Climate Change and Clean Air in Nepal

To capitalize youth power for disseminating environment friendly attitudes and behaviors among general people and to provoke them for real actions on clean air and climate change, Clean Air Network Nepal is mobilizing a youth forum.

By Gopal Raj Joshi

Youths are energetic and dynamic by nature. If youth power is mobilized sensibly they can play a vital role as a change agent to transform the society. Realizing the potentiality of youth power, Clean Air Network Nepal constituted a youth forum known as Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA). NYCA is a youth led coalition of youth groups or organization across the country. It is working as sister organization of CANN to manage education and awareness campaign on clean air and climate change targeted to various segments of society particularly focusing on youths and policy makers. It is also networking with national and international youth coalition to enhance its niche and partnership.
Nepalese Youth for Climate Action (NYCA) in association with the Clean Energy Nepal and CANN has been conducting various activities to sensitize youths on issues of Clean Air and Climate Change. These activities include regular training, workshop, interaction programs and public events on various occasions. The knowledge and information gained during such program is not limited with them, the members of NYCA are sharing the information with peers, school students and general public through various college and school based activities.

Youth voice for policy advocacy is another thrust area of NYCA. In this context, NYCA is involved in various policy advocacy and lobbying campaign. Awareness and sensitization campaign for Constitution Assembly members is one of such commendable campaign. Nepal is now under the process of formulating new constitution through newly elected constitution assembly. To include concrete provisions for safeguarding environment and ensuring the right to clean air in upcoming constitutions, constitution assembly members need be sensitized and awared on these issues. For this purpose, NYCA is launching home visit campaign for members of major parties. NYCA has also drafted a policy briefing paper and handed over to constitution assembly members and ministry of environment.

Although NYCA is a new youth forum, it has been successful to create good impression among the youths, governments’ agency and other stakeholders. CANN has been benefitted by public awareness and continuous policy advocacy campaign done by NYCA thus contributing for exposure and existence.