Cross-generational conversations: Catalyzing global climate innovations

Authored by Thomas Davin, Director, UNICEF Office of Innovation

Stockholm has returned to its usual gentle rhythm after hosting Stockholm+50 - a two-day international climate summit focusing on the health of the planet and prosperity for all. There was a rich selection of sessions and plenaries to attend, but one side event stands out for its memorable spark.

Alongside our young allies at Fridays for Future Sweden, the UNICEF Office of Innovation and UNICEF Sweden co-hosted real-time, simultaneous, unscripted conversations across two generations of climate change changemakers toward bolder, bigger, and more inclusive innovative solutions for a healthy planet.

?Children and young people will experience the impact of the climate crisis longer than anyone else, but they are also often the least able to influence the course of current events.??The side event was a step in the right direction to shifting this reality. The conversations built a bridge between youth and professionals - across generations - as collective changemakers and innovators engaged in climate action.

Taking center stage were five young climate innovator activists from Kenya, Argentina, Sweden, Vietnam, and Balochistan, alongside policymakers, academia, and corporate executives in stimulating and dynamic conversations.? ?

There were plenty of opportunities for cross-generational inspiration at the side event. “Hearing from Eleonora about UNICEF’s innovative solutions, for example, the novel methodology for sustainable groundwater mapping in Eastern and Southern Africa improving access to clean water in many countries, inspires me to take action and become an innovator myself – creating new solutions with the potential to impact many lives”, said Ebba Ganslandt, climate activist, member of Fridays for Future Sweden, and Biology Student at Uppsala University, during her conversation with Eleonora Gatti, Global Innovation Portfolio Manager for Climate Change and Water Sanitation at UNICEF.

One recurring theme in the conversations was the need for representation of the most affected people and areas by climate change into the heart of innovative solution design.

?Eric Njuguna, a longtime climate activist (see his New York Times article with Greta Thunberg, Adriana Calderón, and Farzana Faruk Jhumu) and member of Fridays for Future Kenya, engaged attendees in his conversation with Golala Ruhani, Policy Lead, Inclusive Technology and Innovation at the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.

It was especially poignant when he said, “Involving indigenous communities and young people in implementing solutions on the ground is critical for success. Indigenous people hold extensive knowledge and experience of their land. On the other hand, young people will be the most affected by both the consequences of climate change and the solutions in place to mitigate and adapt to its effects. We all need to have a seat at the decision-making table.”

Another climate activist from Argentina, Sofia Vergara, echoed the call for increased engagement and equitable, inclusive participation.

She said, “The most affected by climate change are usually not even aware of what ‘climate change’ means, even though they experience the consequences every day” she said during her conversation with Christian Landgreen, CEO at ITEAM and Founder of klimatkollen.se

On youth involvement, she warned: “Language is often a barrier to many young people around the world. Many brilliant minds do not speak English, which is the main language in the climate decision making space. Their voices are not heard – yet they’re equally important.”

Young people are powerful advocates for the future they want to live in. I believe I speak on behalf of all who attended the side event when I say that their exchange of ideas and perspectives was truly inspiring - and essential for progress toward addressing the climate crisis.

We witnessed a strong movement of young people who are not just visionaries but strategic thinkers, sharp innovators, and pragmatic doers.?Bui My Nhat, for example, a UNICEF UPSHIFT graduate from Vietnam and co-founder of Green River shared the initiative's award-winning, remote-controlled river garbage disposal robot with Emelie ?hlander, Climate Change Action Programme Manager at Ericsson and a group of delegates. A rich discussion on technology design advancement, and innovation as tech and non-tech solutions to meet the diversity of local realities followed.

By convening this group of change-makers at Stokcholm+50, we set in motion a cross-generation movement needed to bring about a change, not just tomorrow but today.??No better way to continue innovating #ForEveryChild than putting young people themselves at the forefront.

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Thomas Davin is the Global Director of UNICEF’s Office of Innovation, a team delivering new or significantly improved solutions to accelerate results and contribute to progress for children and young people everywhere. With over 21 years in UNICEF, Thomas is still indefatigable about finding ways to empower children to reach their true potential as the leading solution to many of its current challenges. His new position focuses on spotting innovations that offer transformational potential for children, from data science to AI, machine learning, and blockchain, to product innovations to be picked up and used to create global social goods that advance humanity.