C40 Cities
Impact Sector
Democracy & Public
Type of Strategy
Influence
Project Location
Global
In a nutshell
The C40 City Youth Engagement Network invests in the climate leaders of tomorrow, while empowering them to make change today. This project brings together youth climate leaders with mayors from 97 cities, to drive inclusive climate action in cities across the world. With cities consuming 78 per cent of the world’s energy and producing more than 60 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, we must transform them into climate-friendly and healthy places worth living in.
Climate Problem
By 2050, more than three-quarters of the world’s population are expected to live in cities. Particularly in emerging and low-income countries, cities are rapidly growing into metropolises with several million inhabitants. Megacities produce enormous amounts of greenhouse gases and consume a lot of energy.
At the same time, young people are frustrated with the pace of action on climate change. Knowing that the climate crisis will be theirs to inherit, they’re demanding substantive action now. But their voices often go unheard. Even youth climate leaders can struggle to be taken seriously; they often come away from their interactions with government feeling ignored and disempowered.
Thanks to the youth climate movement, climate change has meteorically risen up the public and political agenda. We now have a chance to deliver transformative climate action, and young people deserve a seat at the table.
However, youth and city leaders usually either don’t work together on these issues, or sometimes even work against each other. It is necessary to bring these groups together and support them in tackling the challenges unique to their cities.
Project Solution
The C40 City Youth Engagement Network is working to transform 97 cities across the globe into climate-friendly, safe, and thriving places. Working alongside committed city leaders, youth are powerful advocates who bring important and diverse perspectives to the table.
C40 has extensive global networks, including meaningful relationships with youth leaders and their organisations and will build participants’ skills for urban climate solutions through training, peer learning opportunities, and youth engagement platforms. C40 member cities are committed to halving their emissions within a decade, and upskilling young climate leaders will help them achieve this.
The C40 World Mayors Summit in Buenos Aires in 2022 brought together mayors, youth leaders, business leaders, philanthropists, scientists and more. Participants stood #UnitedInAction to showcase solutions and climate leadership: on green jobs, ‘wellbeing cities’, the urgent need for climate finance, and fair pandemic recovery. The City Youth Engagement Network builds on the momentum of the Summit, working to reduce emissions from cities’ transportation, building, and waste sectors.
“I believe the fight against climate breakdown requires the collective efforts of all generations. Together, youth and cities can build public and political support for the high impact climate actions needed to deliver 1.5°C. We must secure a future that is sustainable, just and more resilient.”
- Operational since 2005
- Team of 254 employees
- Headquarters in London, United Kingdom
About the organisation
C40’s mission is uniting mayors and youth climate leaders to transform their cities into green, safe and climate-resilient spaces through a science-based and collaborative approach. They manage a broad coalition that works together towards limiting global heating to 1.5°C, and halving the emissions of member cities within a decade.
How your donation helps
This project strengthens the role of youth within the C40 Youth Programme and builds capacities of future climate leaders. With your support, C40 will employ two staff members to enlarge and empower the City Youth Engagement Network, and give youth a more powerful voice within the organisation.
This provides great opportunities for powerful joint advocacy to national governments from mayors and youth, and helps to accelerate climate solutions in 97 big cities around the world.
Climate youth leaders and mayors work together to implement and accelerate inclusive climate actions in 97 cities worldwide.
Convening a City Youth Engagement Network creates new youth engagement platforms and strengthens existing ones. C40 connects them with each other, to learn from their peers and to coordinate for maximum impact globally.
Current and future leaders develop their capacities and skills around urban climate solutions and in the organisation of campaigns.
Why we chose the project
"C40’s work promotes equality, justice and climate action. They have considerable expertise, cultivated networks across the Global North and South, and regularly collaborate with other key players like WWF, WRI and GIZ. C40’s work has resulted in 97 cities actively working to significantly reduce their emissions."
Dr. Felicitas von Peter
Founder and Managing Partner, Active Philanthropy
All our projects are:
aiming for systemic solutions in due time
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Seed
KEY SUPPORTER
Grow
PROJECT PATRON
Flourish
CLIMATE CHAMPION
Receive bi-annual reports on how your funded project is progressing
Meet the people behind the project, ask your questions, and build connection (online)
Book an exchange with our Active team to discuss latest trends in climate funding (online)
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C40 Cities
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