Youth Climate Lab is a a youth-led non-governmental organisation that seeks to activate youth networks to create meaningful change. The Youth Climate Lab joined the Coalition in 2018, with an interest in joining its efforts with following initiatives:
- The health impacts of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) have particular detrimental effects on youth and other vulnerable populations, yet they are often least aware and active in combating them. Youth Climate Lab sees a need for a concerted strategy to better raise awareness of health co-benefits of SLCP mitigation among youth. Through work with the Government of Canada on sustainability exchanges and non-Party engagement in UNFCCC processes, Youth Climate Lab already engages in this work. With the CCAC, Youth Climate Lab would like to collaborate with partner to further youth outreach around SLCPs.
- The role of youth in designing and implementing new actions to combat SLCPs is critical, not only because youth are uniquely vulnerable but also because they face barriers in converting ideas into funding and implementation. Youth Climate Lab strives to enable new actions to combat climate change through providing information on climate finance resources available to youth entrepreneurs and creating a global climate venture competition, Greenpreneurs, in partnership with the Global Green Growth Institute and Student Energy. Youth Climate Lab also hosts Pop-Up Labs at conferences and campuses to help young people realize ideas through working with on-site mentors with experience in the non-profit and social venture sectors.
- Youth Climate Lab provides capacity support to the Government of the Seychelles, and soon to other small island developing States, through the Seychelles Support Team at COPs. As part of the Seychelles Support Team, international and Seychelles youth provide note-taking and research to the Seychelles and other SIDS delegations. Such programs also serve the important function of helping youth worldwide understand the particular circumstances small island nations face under climate change.