UK helps Honduran youngsters to find solutions against climate change
Young people in Honduras contributed to strengthen the country’s strategy to tackle climate change in line to COP26 commitments.
Local organization Sustenta Honduras developed the Climate Empowerment Forums, a space for the co-creation of climate proposals aimed at Honduran youth, within the framework of COP26.
The British Embassy supported Sustenta Honduras, an organization led by young people, to develop capacities on climate change and propose programmes, projects and policies that address the differentiated needs of youth in the face of the climate crisis.
Honduras was considered in 2017 the most vulnerable country to climate change in the world, according to the climate vulnerability index. After being hit by two storms Eta and Iota in a space of two weeks in 2021, the weakness of the country’s infrastructure in the face of extreme weather events was evident.
Sustenta raised the voice in representation of young people and the future generations who will inherit the greatest effects of the decisions made today in regard of climate change.
The forums had the participation of 500 young people who interacted in the development of capacities and co-creation of proposals to foster climate action. Almost 65% of the participants were young women, seeking to provide a gender perspective to regional situations.
Throughout this process, Sustenta compiled the proposals in a document entitled “Proposals for the Inclusion of Honduran Youth in Climate Action”, which was presented to the authorities of the Ministry of Environment.
This also contributes to Honduras’ government commitment to develop at least two annual forums to promote the social inclusion of youth, indigenous and Afro-Honduran peoples, and gender, as stated in the country’s National Determined Contribution (NDC).
The project also helped Honduras to adhere to the Declaration of Girls, Boys and Youth in Climate Action as part of the COP26 commitments. Sustenta will follow up with the authorities on next steps to keep youngsters included in this dialogue and with the support of the British Embassy.