Young Europeans Rally for Climate Action at the European Parliament

After a week of brainstorming and training sessions, the Young European Multipliers for Climate Action (YEMCA) project launched during the EYE 2023 in the European Parliament in Strasbourg from 9th – 10th of June 2023.

The YEMCA are a diverse group of 10 young Europeans between 18 and 25 years old, who aim to gather youth perspectives on key climate policy areas and will present their findings to Members of the European Parliament and the general public.

Lira Mikayelyan, member of the international Board of the European Youth Parliament (EYP) and the Steering Committee of the YEMCA programme explains the rationale behind the project: “The urgency of the climate crisis demands ambitious action, and young people are at the forefront of this call for change.We recognize the need to amplify young voices and ensure they have a seat at the table when it comes to decision-making on climate policies. With the YEMCA, we aim to bridge this representation gap by presenting diverse and compelling young perspectives to key policy-makers at national and international levels, including the incoming Members of the European Parliament in 2024.

During the kick-off event at the EYE on the 9th of June, the Young Multipliers conducted a workshop to engage participants in discussions on the following priority areas:

• Environmental justice
• Energy
• Transportation & Infrastructure
• Biodiversity
• Agriculture

Each year, the EYE gathers thousands of young individuals in the heart of European democracy, allowing them to express their ideas on Europe’s future. The outcomes of the workshop will be shared with European decision-makers, providing valuable insights into youth perspectives on pressing climate issues.

The YEMCA further hosted a public “Young Citizens’ Dialogue” featuring a panel discussion with Thomas Waitz, Member of the European Parliament for the Group of the Greens/European Free Alliance, who encouraged young Europeans to get involved in politics to push for ambitious climate action.

Next up, the Young Multipliers will exchange with other youth organisations during a period of consultations and present their findings in a dedicated Have your Say! social media campaign.

The project is supported by the E.ON Foundation and co-funded by the European Union.