Youth Action Day at the Summit of the Future: Pioneering Foresight, Climate Action and Sustainability
For the first time, participatory foresight took centre stage in the Trusteeship Council at UN Headquarters in New York during the UN Summit of the Future Youth Action Day. The “#YouthLead: Strategic Foresight in Climate and Environmental Sustainability” side-event, organized by the UN Futures Lab/Global Hub in collaboration with the UN Youth Office, UNICEF Innocenti, World Intellectual Property Organization(WIPO), International Trade Centre, UN Environment Programme (UNEP), and IOM – UN Migration, saw young people take the lead in discussing how we can drive breakthroughs in global cooperation, with a particular focus on climate action and sustainability.
In preparation for the Summit of the Future side-event, the Let #YouthLead for the Future Horizon Scanning Survey (online) gathered insights from 270 young people across 75 countries. The signals collected formed the foundation for the participatory foresight in-person session at the Youth Action Day, which featured a Three Horizons foresight exercise and where youth envisioned transformative climate actions, moving beyond traditional panels to an interactive workshop that actively engaged participants in shaping actionable strategies for the future. Key discussion points highlighted include:
- Youth innovation: Integrating scientific research with traditional knowledge while protecting youth-driven innovations through intellectual property.
- Education: Embedding climate education and foresight into classrooms and amplifying positive change through social media.
- Digital transformation: Prioritizing human and community needs in youth-driven tech solutions, from AI to data innovations.
- Eco-careers: Empowering youth to shape sustainable industries and promoting eco-careers as key to a sustainable future.
- Financing: Advocating for financial models that support youth-led clean tech and incentivize climate-positive investments.
Why it matters
This first-of-its-kind event elevated youth voices in the multilateral system, demonstrating their critical role in addressing the climate crisis and shaping sustainable futures. By integrating participatory foresight into global decision-making spaces, the event highlighted the power of inclusive and youth-led approaches to tackling complex challenges and driving meaningful change.
