The involvement of youths from more vulnerable and marginalised backgrounds must be prioritised to make the whole process even more inclusive and participatory at the provincial and local levels
As the federal government is working on its third National Determined Contributions, in jargon the NDC 3.0, the stakes could not be higher. Nepal must come up with an ambitious plan of actions that can propel the nation towards a greener and more sustainable future. At the same time, the upcoming NDC 3.0 must be implementable and, therefore, realistic. Therefore, policymakers are going to have the difficult task of matching ambition with reality.
As the government is trying to find the right balance and achieve this complex equilibrium, we want to make the case of fully investing and engaging young people in the process. As the discussions for NDC 3.0 unfolds, youths from different backgrounds and walks of lives have already been involved in the preparatory work.
Comparatively, with the process laying the ground for the NDC 2 finalised in December 2020, this time the federal government has been showing a much more proactive role in engaging young people.
Yet as consultations are still going on, including at the provincial levels, we have a unique opportunity to further setting the stage for an ever greater and stronger youth's participation in the future of climate discussions in the country. The ongoing exercise for the new National Determined Contributions could pave the way for a rethinking on how governments engage civil society organisations, especially youths. For this to happen, it is going to be paramount to shift from informal approaches until now in place.
Essentially we need to envision a different, more structured modality where youth's participation is grounded, first in a well-defined strategy and then in a concrete mechanism. The process that led to the NDC 2.0 did have a youth component, but involving and engaging youths was an additional aspect to the whole preparatory process, rather than a core component of it.
This time not only the approach but the whole perspective and, also very importantly, the attitude of the government changed for the better. Several youths-based groups had a seat on the table while discussing the key features and elements of the next NDC document.
The involvement of youths from more vulnerable and marginalised backgrounds must be prioritised to make the whole process even more inclusive and participatory at the provincial and local levels. It is equally vital that youths are involved at the grassroots level without excuses. This will only happen when a whole bottom-up approach, from local to federal, unfolds.
Starting at ground level would have been more effective to gather feedback on the NDC 3.0. This could have been occurred by partnering with the other two tiers of government.
As we are now in a critical international juncture, youths across the whole nation, at all levels, must have a say in formulating the next climate policies. That's why climate policy making in Nepal must be strengthened by adopting a youth-driven "whole of society approach".
That's why the federal government and also the provincial and local governments should devise a new approach that better validates the role of young people not only in the preparation but also in the implementation of any official climate policy.
One possible idea could be the formal establishment of a Youth Climate Advisory Board or Council. This mechanism could become a key platform where youths are not only consulted about climate policy and climate action. It could become a platform in which youths can propose new ideas and actions while also playing the role of an impartial and independent watchdog.
Youth groups and even individual young people could come up with more concrete ideas on how such a board could be activated through an open and transparent and inclusive process. Additionally, another instrument could be devised: climate assemblies could be implemented at the national, provincial and local levels.
These are forums that could take a variety of forms and shapes, but their overarching goals would be to offer citizens an opportunity to be consulted and to express their ideas. The Youth Climate Advisory Board would be a permanent mechanism being run on a voluntary basis.
It would function in a totally depoliticised fashion with no party affiliations allowed and in accordance with democratic principles where its members, either elected or chosen through unanimity, would rotate. It would act as an institution in which youths with a solid expertise on climate policies work together and engage the federal government.
The assemblies would function more as ad hoc discussion forums open to everybody, where citizens, especially those who do not have a specific climate background, can join the conversation. The assemblies would be where the state institutions meet the people and engage them, getting ideas and receiving feedback.
It is clear that youths should be the drive behind the establishment of the assemblies.
It might take sometimes before putting together all the ideas to start implementing both the Board and the assemblies.
What matters is that we shift from an informal though well-motivated approach now in place towards something more institutionalised but at the same time not to be stifled and paralysed by the rigidity of the bureaucratic system in place.
We can rapidly move towards implementing a youth-driven climate policy ecosystem in a step by step approach, even by maintaining a certain level of "structured" informality. This can happen when new mechanisms are being piloted and activated without being overwhelmed by a system that is certainly not yet youths nor citizens-focused.
The climate and biodiversity challenges ahead are too daunting for only the State to face them alone. There are ways to change this equation, creating a climate change policy system that can be inclusive and accessible. It is time for a youths-led experimentation in climate policy making.
Baral is a climate justice activist and Galimberti is co-founder of The Good Leadership
