Background:

Cities are increasingly exposed to climate hazards such as extreme heat, flooding, drought, coastal risks and climate-related health threats. At the same time, cities are also spaces of innovation, youth mobilization, public participation and systems transformation. Young people can play a key role not only in protecting themselves and their communities from climate risks, but also in advocating for more resilient, inclusive, low-carbon and nature-positive urban futures. 

Objectives:

The primary objectives of the session are to:  

• Build participants’ understanding of climate adaptation and its relevance for urban areas.  

• Strengthen participants’ ability to identify urban climate risks by considering hazards, exposure, vulnerability and adaptive capacity.  

• Develop practical skills to design youth-led adaptation actions at individual, community and advocacy levels.  

• Introduce the concept of maladaptation and help participants assess whether adaptation responses may create unintended negative impacts.  

• Promote integrated climate action by connecting adaptation with mitigation, biodiversity conservation, equity and inclusion.  

• Strengthen participants’ teamwork, communication and pitching skills.  

• Introduce a foresight mindset by inviting participants to imagine transformative climate solutions while critically assessing trade-offs, feedback effects and governance challenges.  

• Connect scenario-based learning with real youth-led climate action through best practices.  

The Session will be organized by:

UNDP Rome Centre’s Adaptation Team, part of the Adaptation Accelerator Hub, within the framework of the Youth4Capacity: Becoming... series. The Adaptation Accelerator Hub supports developing countries, particularly those most vulnerable to climate change, to accelerate adaptation by helping translate national priorities into finance-ready and implementation-oriented initiatives for systemic, long-term resilience.