Read the session “In case you missed it” notes here.
Key takeaways
1. Climate change disrupts not only physical and economic security but emotional wellbeing. Grief over lost futures, reluctance to have children, and eroding hope are significant, under-recognized dimensions of climate injustice for Caribbean youth.
2. Young people are already leading climate action by running projects, generating solutions, and shaping advocacy. Treating youth solely as “future leaders” overlooks and undervalues their present contributions.
3. Genuine youth participation requires early and sustained involvement in decision-making. Being invited to speak at an event or appear in a photo is not the same as having influence over the policies and plans that affect one’s life.
4. Climate impacts are experienced unequally depending on intersecting identities, including indigenous status, gender, sexual orientation, and occupation. Indigenous communities, LGBTQI+ individuals, and outdoor workers, among others, face distinct and often compounded vulnerabilities that generic climate responses fail to address.
5. Sustaining momentum on climate justice depends on intergenerational solidarity. Long-term collective struggle, mentorship, and shared responsibility across generations generate hope and sustain the movement.