On 14 March 2026, UNU-IAS Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (UNU-IAS OUIK) hosted the Youth and the Climate Action Conference 2026 in Kanazawa City, Japan. Focusing on climate justice, the event brought together high school students to discuss the unequal impacts of climate change across regions and communities. It explored what fair and equitable climate action should look like in practice, emphasizing the importance of inclusive approaches that consider both present and future generations.
Naoyuki Okano (Programme Officer, UNU-IAS) provided an overview of climate change science, and shared perspectives that frame climate change not only as an environmental issue, but also one deeply connected to ethics, politics and society. Highlighting the impacts of climate change on agriculture, fisheries and food culture, Sayako Koyama (Research Associate, UNU-IAS OUIK) stressed that people living in rural areas who rely on natural resources for their livelihoods are particularly vulnerable. Juan Pastor-Ivars (Research Fellow, UNU-IAS OUIK) discussed climate justice from an urban perspective, using Kanazawa City as an example to explain issues such as disparities in access to urban green spaces, the urban heat island effect and flood risks.
Students engaged in group discussions on how climate change affects their daily lives, and exchanged ideas on actions that could contribute to a more equitable society. In the final presentations, they shared perspectives on the importance of mutual aid within local communities and on how to empower urban residents to support farmers and rural livelihoods.
Students from Kanazawa University Senior High School and Kanazawa Nishikigaoka High School — participants in the UNU-IAS OUIK Youth Empowerment Programme 2025 — discussed their experiences at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP30), stressing the potential for more effective climate action that combines young people’s perspectives with adults’ knowledge and experience.
Applications for the Youth Empowerment Programme Ishikawa Kanazawa 2026 will open shortly. For further details, please visit the programme page (in Japanese).
