Youth climate action is redefining children’s rights in the context of climate changeThe United Nations (UN) Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) states that children’s rights are inextricably linked to the health of the environment. Further, Article 12 of the CRC indicates that children must be assured the right to express their views in all matters affecting them and that such views be “given due weight” in decision-making processes. Notably, this assertion “transforms the status of the child from one of passive recipient of adult care and protection to one of active participation and agency.” Such notions of child participation may indicate a shift to post-paternalism in which children and youth actively define their own human rights. This theoretical article examined the efforts of children and youth to mitigate climate change through a lens of child/youth participation. The article, co-authored by a young person with extensive experience in climate action, explored how youth have advanced both environmental rights and their own rights.
The article was written by an Ireland-based multidisciplinary team that included two international children’s rights experts and a young climate advocate who participated in Ireland’s child and youth assembly on biodiversity and other environmental initiatives. The article is structured around the Lundy Model, a recognized framework for implementing the participatory rights outlined by Article 12 of the CRC. The Lundy Model defines children’s participation through four interrelated components that aim to ensure children’s right to be heard: (1) <em>space</em> (children must have the opportunity to express a view in a safe and inclusive space); (2) <em>voice</em> (children must be facilitated to express their view); (3) <em>audience</em> (the view must be listened to); and (4) <em>influence</em> (the view must be acted upon, as appropriate). Each component of the model is a “necessary condition for ensuring that children are not only able to express their views but also that those views are listened to and acted upon in a manner that respects children’s competence and prioritizes their best interests.” The Lundy Model was used to explore international examples of child/youth climate action to consider if and how voice, space, audience and influence have been implemented in practice. These examples include the Conference of the Parties (COP), youth climate litigation and Ireland’s children and youth biodiversity assembly, among others.
The first element of the Lundy Model, <em>space</em>, calls attention to the need for safe, inclusive and enabling environments in which children are actively encouraged to express their views. The element of space must strive to ensure that children will not endure consequences for expressing their views, and that the right to participate is afforded to every child, regardless of their background. In addition to environmental initiatives that demonstrate the space component of the model, youth are creating their own spaces through climate protests and legal actions. “As children and youth create their own spaces to take climate action – such as litigating in courtrooms themselves on a scale that has never been seen before – they are challenging dominant narratives around how children and youth have typically been included in spaces to participate and have their voices heard.” <em>Voice</em>, the model’s second component, involves supporting children’s ability to freely express their views in ways that are meaningful to them. This component must strive to be inclusive and facilitate opportunities for the voices of marginalized children to be heard. Due to young climate advocates' participation in climate policy and litigation, children’s voices are being heard more prominently. “This mainstreaming of children’s voices points to the positioning of young climate advocates as the equals of adults – a key part of post-paternalism.” Despite these gains, however, many environmental decision-making processes do not meaningfully address children’s views. The component <em>audience</em> refers to “the right of the child to be listened to and express their views to those involved in the decision-making processes.” Adults must listen to show children that their perspectives matter and that their participation is taken seriously. Importantly, young climate activists now have a wider audience than ever before, and their voices are reaching key decision-makers, including politicians and spaces of influence and power (such as the Internet). For example, youth engagement with the UN “exemplifies an ideal audience: a body with both the responsibility and the capacity to respond to young people’s calls for action.” <em>Influence</em>, the model’s final component, centers on accountability to children and suggests that their participation should have an impact. This component is dependent on adults’ willingness to be influenced by children. Advocacy experiences that fail to influence change, such as dismissed climate litigation, can be especially frustrating for children. Additionally, assessing the impact of youth climate action is difficult due to the complexity of influencing systemic change.
The article demonstrates how the Lundy Model can conceptualize child/youth participation in climate action by calling attention to “the way children are heard, which children are heard, who is hearing them, and what influences their voices have.” The article also suggests that child/youth climate action signifies a post-paternal era for children’s rights. Children and youth are taking action to attain their own rights rather than waiting for adults to grant them rights. Such actions are resulting in stronger climate policy and redefining children’s rights and spheres of participation. The authors conclude: “It is crucial that the voices of children/youth are heard in matters relating to climate law, policy and practice, that spaces are child-friendly and that their views are acted upon in this post-paternal era.”
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