“There is no greater, growing threat facing the world’s children and their children than climate change”.

The Climate Smart Initiative for Children (CSIC) is a Non-Governmental Organization working with children across the globe to bring an end to climate change. At 30% of the current world’s population, children do not only represent the largest group of people currently affected by climate change, but they are also more vulnerable than adults to its harmful effects and are the  generation that will be required to deal with the future impacts of climate change.

At CSIC, we believe that every child deserves a healthy and safe environment. We want to ensure that all children can enjoy these rights and are partnering with children to deliver immediate results. We offer climate smart solutions that educate children while they are still young about the importance of taking care of mother nature and their surroundings.

Our Vision:

That children all over the globe are strategically positioned on the front line of the global climate change and are armored with resources, skills, and a safe space to meaningfully participate in climate change adaptation action and decision making in their communities and to engage in and influence local, national and global climate policy processes.

Our Mission: To foster child-centered and child-led climate action:

Our main objectives

Our work focuses on mainly two objectives;

  • To support children in and raising their voices on climate action and engaging with decision makers and policy processes, providing links with governments at national, regional and global level.
  • To influence individuals, civil society, governments, businesses, academia and practitioners to support child-centered climate action.

This is important because children concerned with the effects of climate change can inspire pro-environmental behaviors in themselves and others.

Getting children involved

Given that children suffer the consequences of climate change and are called to play a key role in mitigating its effects, it is important to engage in discussions about climate change with them, even when it’s hard. We offer guidance for adults wishing to engage children in climate change debate and discussion on how best to achieve this.

Even though explaining the impact of climate change on children can seem impractical and tedious, there are several innovative and practical ways we can get them into this climate fora and despite these concerns, it is important to have open and honest discussions with children about climate change. It is paramount that parents step up and create open dialogue with children for them to express their thoughts and feelings about climate change.

We work through the three E approach to guide activism on addressing and mitigating the impacts of climate change.

1. Engage

Children can be placed on the climate change agenda through engaging them in conversation and action. These discussions open up pathways for children to obtain knowledge on prevailing environmental concerns and also allow for brainstorming on the required action to mitigate these. Take for example, deforestation and bush burning. It is important that children are supported to understand that once we burn trees for charcoal and firewood, there shall be a reduction in rainfall and hence plants shall not grow. Animals that live in forests shall also lose their habitats and die. Mankind shall ultimately pay the price when there is an increased scarcity of food.

By actively participating in these conversations, adults can gain valuable insights and broaden their own knowledge alongside their children.

You can in addition have a discussion with children about using lots of plastics that are not biodegradable. This shall affect the quality and fertility of soil and consequently mean that our gardens cannot produce all those delicious fruits and vegetables they like to enjoy.

Engaging children shall place them at the front line and ensure that they are knowledgeable and can foster meaningful discussions targeting improved environmental practices and behaviors.

2. Educate

In order to promote meaningful engagement and discussion, children need to be educated and made aware of the principles and basics of climate change. Take for example, how exactly does draining swamps affect our lives and other aquatic animals? Why are children not able to see dinosaurs anymore? How does the reducing population of bees affect them?

CSIC offers child-friendly resources explaining the science of climate change and how it affects children. We also promote education on climate action through supporting poems and story writing for children. Many books have been released on climate change catering to school-aged children that can raise awareness and spearhead the required action for children to act now.

We also offer practical education, like walking in green spaces, operating recycling centers, engaging them in climate smart agriculture and research and in promoting educational videos that provide children with an opportunity to reflect on how climate change has and will continue to change their surroundings.

3. Empower

The first step to empowering your kids for the future is to help them take on actions to help the environment. This can start right at home through actions like taking shorter showers, reducing food waste or conserving electricity. It can also be done by involving them in family decisions that use a climate-friendly lens to discuss topics like family vacation plans and gifts.

Young people can also build communities through local and global environmental organizations. Some organizations engage in local actions such as the creation and maintenance of community gardens. Parents and caregivers can encourage the next generation to pursue careers in the green economy sectors including renewable energy, forestry and urban planning.

The health and well-being of our children and our planet are contingent on climate action. It is the responsibility of the adults in children’s lives to foster discussions that ensure this effort is possible.

Climate change is happening and nearly every child in the world will be affected.

Talking about climate change with our own children can feel hard for many parents. It’s natural to want to protect kids from harm and worry. But if your child is a certain age, chances are they are already hearing about climate change, whether at school, online or from their friends. Unsurprisingly, children can feel many emotions about climate change, such as being anxious, frightened, sad and angry, which are very natural reactions to something as uncertain and devastating as climate change.

Our programmes focus on environmental stewardship and climate action in the following key areas;

  • Climate Smart Agriculture
  • Tree Planting
  • Recycling Programs
  • Conferences and Trainings
  • Art  & Visual Competitions
  • Birthday Campaigns
  • Advocacy and Campaigns

Climate Smart Agriculture for Kids

The future of our planet is in the hands of our children. It’s up to us to ensure we give them the right tools to make them succeed.

Climate smart agriculture is the practice of crop farming and animal rearing that is sustainable, increases yields, reduces greenhouse gas emission and enables our country to achieve national food security.

 Your children may have questions about the changing climate. Many are hearing about or experiencing climate-change-fueled disasters such as floods and global warming. Let us guide your child in learning and understanding the current global crisis of climate change:

Email: learning@climatesmartchildren.org

While the climate crisis can feel like an overwhelming topic, there are healthy ways to talk with kids about it. We can communicate in a way that is honest, hopeful, developmentally appropriate, and action oriented. By helping kids understand the issue of climate change and how it affects their health and futures, we empower them to make a difference.

Activities

Begin explaining concepts behind climate change in simple scientific terms. Ask what they know and fill in blanks or research it together. CSIC has online resources to help parents go through each aspect of climate change.

  • Nature walks. Take walks to show how weather affects nature. Talk about how weather makes the seasons. You can point out bird nests, for example, and talk about how weather influences when and where birds make their nests. Talk about other wild animals and discuss how they all have homes that need protecting.
  • Gardening. Pick out fruit, vegetable, or flower seeds to plant in your garden, or herbs to plant in kitchen boxes. Young children can help take care of plants, and get excited seeing something grow from nothing. Talk about how your child needs air to breathe and so do plants and animals. When pollutants get in the air, that affects their health.
  • Local focus. Point out local effects of climate change depending on your location. Some areas may be more prone to  floods, while others may experience longer and more intense heat waves or an increase in illness from mosquitoes.
  • Make it practical. You have discussions with children on for example how to calculate their carbon footprint and provide tips and ideas on how they can reduce it, through activities such as;

Turn lights off after leaving the room.

Sorting waste

Explain how people – including kids – can be powerful forces in protecting the environment. Point out that choices we make can help make our planet, and people, healthier.

Relate to recent events

Pick a recent or ongoing event and discuss how climate change might have contributed to the event and its the economic effects. For example:

  • Talk about how climate change is causing longer and more severe wildfires in California, resulting in the loss of homes and businesses. Discuss how it is also causing air pollution that forces people indoors. Consider the mental health effects all of this can have on families.
  • Explore how climate change doesn’t affect everyone equally, and the ways some communities experience more health risks. Discuss how everyone should have an equal opportunity to clean air and water.

Take action

Encourage your teen to come up with solutions and creative ways to express their ideas. Examples include:

  • Use a science class presentation or a school, Scouts, 4-H or other project to educate peers about the need for climate change solutions.
  • Form a club at school with other interested classmates and brainstorm how to help your local community.
  • Write for local or state newspaper about why teens care about the climate.
  • Join a national youth advocacy organization for more inspiration.
  • Work together to make changes at home, incorporating your teen’s ideas. Participate in advocacy as a family.

Be a role model

Think about ways you can advocate for a healthier environment for children.

  • Ask your school district to incorporate a climate curriculum
  • Share news of great climate advocacy work with your family
  • Reach out to local, state and federal legislators with your family to encourage climate action

Youth leadership

Kids are the next generation of innovators and thinkers. Youth leadership is already making a huge difference. If we nurture a love for the environment early, children may just come up with the best solutions. Don’t be surprised if they teach you something, too, along the way.