Youth Participation in Climate Change for Sustainable Engagement

Youth and children are identified as one of the nine major groups of civil society in Agenda 21, with the right and responsibility to participate in sustainable development. The U nited N ations Framework Convention on Climate Change, through its Article 6 on Education, Training and Public Awareness, calls on governments to implement educational and training programmes on climate change to educate, empower and engage all stakeholders. The N ew D elhi and D oha work programmes on Article 6, adopted in 2002 and 2012, respectively, target youth as a major group for effective engagement in the formulation and implementation of decisions on climate change. This article uses the case of Thailand to illustrate that national policies in the country insufficiently address educating and engaging youth in climate change issues. It argues that governments need to adequately educate youth and provide opportunities for them to become informed and to be active citizens.