This manifesto for Sustainable Development Goal 13 Climate Action was created by the youth ambassadors of the Walk the Global Walk European project. We have become acutely aware of the great dangers and consequences of climate change to our own and future generations, environment and economy. We find that people are still not sufficiently aware of these issues and that authorities are not taking sufficient action. We want to contribute to the solutions and demand to be heard, taken seriously and supported. We therefore ask that the following recommendations be taken up as a contribution to combating and mitigating the climate emergency.
SDG 13, as all the SDG's is made up of three dimensions: the Human, Environmental and Economic, all of which are interconnected. In relation to SDG 13, our recommendations are coherent to these three dimensions and we are aware of their overlapping nature. We urgently and strongly recommend all Local Authorities throughout Europe to carry out the following:
Human Dimension
● Support effective awareness raising and sustainable behaviour in schools, starting from early years, by inviting experts, organising sustainability projects, classes, annual events, assemblies, etc;
● Promote and introduce sustainable food consumption in schools including the reduction of meat, having vegan and vegetarian options in school meals, favouring organic and local products and no GMO;
● Finance and promote Global Citizenship Education in schools, including support and practical tools for teachers to work on climate change issues both across the curriculum and in specific subjects;
● Give more importance and space to youth led actions and opinions;
● Implement more and better awareness raising campaigns and media campaigns on climate related issues for the general public in many different public spaces;
Environmental Dimension
● Install efficient and clearly explained waste management programmes and systems in schools as well as more generally, including recycling, collecting and reusing food waste, efficient resource management, eliminating plastic packaging and single use plastic;
● Create and preserve public spaces (rural and urban) with activities such as planting trees and creating vegetable gardens with the active involvement of local authorities, citizens and students;
● Provide possibilities of clean, accessible and sustainable public transport for general public and for schools transport at both local and national levels;
● Clean up public places such as beaches and urban areas;
● Meet the target of decarbonisation by 2030
Economic Dimension
● Finance and strengthen research and green and social enterprises, innovation in schools such as workshops on repairing (eg. bikes, smartphones), reusing objects (eg. clothes), installing alternative browsers involving youth directly;
● Provide financial support and incentives for schools to run on renewable and clean energies only as well as an increased use of rainwater and solar panels;
● Promote the consumption of organic, local and domestic products to strengthen national economies and reduce production and transport emissions;
● Invest in warning and mitigation mechanisms against extreme weather conditions and other climate related disasters at local and national levels.
We urgently ask decision makers at local, national and European levels to work together to implement the recommendations set out in this manifesto. We are truly committed to promoting this manifesto in order to raise awareness across all communities and seek commitment in strengthening our voices in Europe. We all must cooperate; redefine our relationship with the environment and take an active role in protecting it at a personal, national and global level.
This Manifesto was co-created by students from the following schools with the support of our teachers:
Agrupamento de Escolas Professor Reynaldo dos Santos, Vila Franca de Xira, Portugal
Institution Saint Joseph, Le Havre, France
ISIS Carducci, Volta, Pacinotti, Piombino, Italy
Gymnasium, Fyli, Lyceum, Fyli, 2nd Lyceum, A.Liosia, Lyceum, Zefeiri, Vocational School (EPAL), A.Liosia, Greece
King’s Park Secondary, Glasgow, Scotland
Secondary School no. 194 and Grigore Moisil National College, Bucharest, Romania
Srednja škola „Vladimir Gortan“ Buje, Croatia
Ysgol Dyffryn Aman, Carmarthenshire, Wales
Paralimni High School, Paralimni, Ammohostos and Solea Middle School, Evrichou, Nicosia, Cyprus
133 Secondary school “Al.Pushkin” Sofia, Bulgaria
