The IYCM

Introduction to the International

Youth Climate Movement
The International Youth Climate Movement is every growing movement of
international youth who are building education, creating awareness,
and taking action on climate change.

Our motivation
Climate change is increasingly becoming understood as a global problem which
endangers all life on our planet. Over billions of years, the Earth’s special
chemistry came into balance, creating the conditions which led to the
development of life, including, most recently, human beings. This balance of the
elements – earth, water, air, and fire – is the only system we’ve ever known, and
right now, human activities are throwing off that balance, adding carbon to the
atmosphere and millions of toxic chemicals to our air and water. Simply put, we
are destroying the conditions that brought about our existence. This is neither
natural nor necessary.

The international scientific community has indicated that 400 parts per million
of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will cause significant disruption with the
climate system. We are currently at ~380. The average annual increase is 2-3
parts per million, giving us 6-10 years to start seeing those numbers drop. The
time for action is now.

A brief history of the International

Youth Climate Movement
In 2005, during COP11 in Montreal (Canada), young people started to get
organized at COP. Youth delegations from various countries attended,
to advocate on behalf of young people. As a result, the concept of the
International Youth Climate Movement was first developed, though it was
originally referred to as the International Youth Delegation, referring to the youth
delegates at the international climate negotiations.

The IYCM acts in the UNFCCC process since 2009 throughout the constituency
YOUNGO. Find out more about it here.
 How are we organized?
The International Youth Climate Movement is run by teams of volunteers. These
teams of volunteers organize themselves into different working groups and form
the central organs of the movement, coordinated by a Bottom-lining Team, and
holding several working groups (Human Rights, Intergenerational Equity,
Participation, Communication, etc.) that helps to organize their efforts, especially
at international climate negotiations.

Who is part of the IYCM?

Across the world, there are youth organizations who have formed
coalitions to take positive action on climate change. Each Climate Coalition or
Climate Network is affiliated to a regional or continental movement.

These movements include the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change;

Caribbean Youth Environmental Network; European Youth Climate Movement;
Project Survival Pacific; Nordic Youth Climate Action Movement; North East Asia
Youth Environmental Network; the South American Youth Climate Coalition and
the South Asia Youth Environment Network.

Consequently, these local, national and continental organizations come together

to form the International Youth Climate Movement.