The role of young people in taking a stand and being part of the solution to climate change issues has never been more prominent. From Greta Thunburg’s Fridays for Future school strike to the UN-Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change, young people around the globe are demanding that their opinions are heard and that real environmental change is enacted.

Within these movements, the voices of diaspora youth are no exception. With climate change having a growing impact on migration, many young people in diaspora communities feel that they want to contribute to environmental activism. Not only do many diaspora youth have a unique perspective on the devastating effects of climate change, they also have valuable skills and direct international links that help to raise awareness of key issues and build support through intercultural communication and cooperation.

Here is a spotlight on a few of the many Youth Diaspora making a positive impact on the environment:

• Climate Cardinals is a youth-led volunteer movement that translates climate information into over 100 languages.  After realising that her Iranian relatives had little access to documents to educate themselves about the climate crisis Sophia Kianni, who lives in the U.S, established the organisation.
• Sub-Saharan Advisory Panel Youth Leadership Network is a network made up of young people from African communities in Wales. They run events and feed into a range of issues including climate change and migration.
• SustainUS is a youth organisation based in the U.S that engages on national and international scales with sustainability and justice issues. Many of their delegates are from diaspora communities dedicated to tackling issues effecting climate migrants.

In 2019 they sent an indigenous-led youth delegation to the UN Climate Negotiations. This is an ever-growing and evolving area and we would be keen to hear more perspectives on the importance of diaspora communities in responding to climate change! If you would like to share your ideas, please take a look at the forums section of the iDiaspora platform to contribute your thoughts and celebrate the achievements of diaspora communities in combatting climate change.