Youth Voices Important in Planning Sustainable Cities
June 2020
The Asia Clean Energy Forum 2020 logo. The ACEF is recognized as one of Asia’s premiere renewable energy events. The Asia Development Bank managed to convene over 4,000 energy stakeholders from across the globe for ACEF 2020. Photograph © ADB
The youth should be made a part of planning the cities of tomorrow.
ADB Deputy Director General for the Regional and Sustainable Development Department Woochong Um pointed out the importance of youth participation in the planning of sustainable cities during the Asia Clean Energy Forum 2020, held from the 15th to the 19th of June. The ACEF, hosted online by the Asian Development Bank, is recognized as being among Asia’s premiere events on renewable energy.
ACEF 2020 marks the 15th year of the ACEF. The ADB, though ACEF 2020, manage to digitally convene over 4,000 energy stakeholders from across the globe.
High school students from Quezon City together with WWF-Philippines staff at Our AdvoQC, an event on conservation and sustainability held late 2019. WWF-Philippines works to inspire the youth to think about sustainability from an early age. Photograph © Ysa Calinawan / WWF-Philippines
“If we want innovative solutions… we must talk and engage the young people… because there is so much they can think and imagine about,” said Um. The ADB continually supports youth development, with a $400 million policy-based loan having been given in 2019 to support the employment of young people in the Philippines.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Philippines maintains efforts to reach out to the youth in the hopes of inspiring the next generation of environmental leaders. Through the Environmental Education team and through projects such as Our City 2030, WWF-Philippines educates the youth on environmental issues and trains them to think about sustainability from an early age.
“If we want inclusive sustainable development plans, we need to include among the discussants the voices of the young,” says WWF-Philippines Project Manager Cheerylyn Agot. Her project, Financing and Integrating Renewable Energy in Butuan City (FiNRE-BXU), works with representatives of the public in the search of sources of renewable energy for Butuan City.
“This is a strong validation of the projects we do in WWF-Philippines to address climate change and assist cities in their transition to low-carbon and sustainable urban development. We want young people to be engaged in developing solutions for their cities and for the city leaders to recognize the visions and innovations of the youth towards climate-smart and resilient future,” said WWF-Philippines Project Manager Imee Bellen implementing the “Our City 2030: Youth Visions and Solutions” project that works directly with high school students from Quezon City, creating platforms for them to be involved in their home cities’ sustainable development.
Through its projects, WWF-Philippines is capacitating the youth of today and working to create spaces for them to participate in future planning. With the insights of young people, WWF-Philippines hopes to spur innovative solutions for addressing today’s environmental issues in tomorrow’s cities.
Further targeted, youth-oriented support from bodies such as the ADB could create additional spaces for the participation of young people in the sustainable development of Philippine cities.
A pair of boy scouts carry flash lights during Earth Hour 2019 celebrations. Environmental leaders across the globe have recognized the importance of young voices in planning for the future. WWF-Philippines works to give youth voices a platform from which to be heard. Photograph © Alo Lantin / WWF-Philippines
The COVID-19 pandemic has exposed and opened gaps in urban planning across the country – but sustainable development practices could pose promising solutions to growing societal ills. Today’s youth play an important part in the sustainable planning, and their voices should be included in talks of the future of the nation’s cities. Join WWF-Philippines today, and help us inspire the next generation to work to #ChangeTheEnding on our environmental crisis.
For more information, please contact:
Ms. Gia Ibay
Climate and Energy Programme Head
gibay@wwf.org.ph
Ms. Imee Bellen
One Planet Cities/Our City 2030: Youth Visions & Solutions Project Manager
ibellen@wwf.org.ph
Ms. Cheerylyn Agot
Financing and Integrating Renewable Energy in Butuan City (FiNRE-BXU) Project Manager
cagot@wwf.org.ph
For media arrangements, please contact:
Ms. Pam Luber
Integrated Communications Manager
pluber@wwf.org.ph
