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52th UNITED NATIONS

GRADUATE STUDY PROGRAMME

Palais des Nations, Geneva

30 June - 11 July 2014

“Empowering youth: how can the United

Nations lead the way forward?”

Report of the Working Group: WMO

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WMO Youth Engagement Strategy

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Education, Empowerment and Action by:

Aymard Charles

Bridgelal Sherry

Heredia Wendy

Khomula Olga

Koser Christoph

Kranendonk Simone

Kroutilova Anna

Mahjoubi Ilham

Mineviciute Ilona

Rowlands Jasmine

Tambila Yempabey

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Table of Contents

1. Executive summary ............................................................................................................................. 4

1.1. Résumé ............................................................................................................................................. 4

2. Introduction ......................................................................................................................................... 5

3. Pillar I: Education: ............................................................................................................................... 6

3.1. Educational Program .................................................................................................................... 7

3.2. Competitions ................................................................................................................................ 7

4. Pillar II: Empowerment ....................................................................................................................... 8

4.1. Volunteer Programs ...................................................................................................................... 8

4.2. Annual Youth Forum .................................................................................................................... 9

A) Monetary: ................................................................................................................................. 10

B) Career: ...................................................................................................................................... 10

C) Training & Opportunities: ........................................................................................................ 10

5. Pillar III. Action ............................................................................................................................... 10

5.1. Youth Ambassador ..................................................................................................................... 11

5.2. Practical Application of Sustainability ....................................................................................... 11

i) Disaster Risk Reduction Programme: ........................................................................................ 12

ii) Application of Sustainability: ................................................................................................... 13

6. Conclusion ......................................................................................................................................... 15

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1. Executive summary

In recognition of the need to strengthen the current youth outreach program of the World

Meteorological Organisation (WMO), this paper proposes multiple, complementary

recommendations. The main goal of this proposal is to strengthen the foundation of

knowledge, to raise awareness and to motivate the youth to participate in the activities of

the WMO and relevant organizations which deal with issues related to weather, water and

climate (change). The target group in this paper ranges from the secondary school level (13

years) onwards, to tertiary level (18+). This will be accomplished through the development

of an educational program for youth aged between 13 and 15 years to promote the

organization's mandate. In order to advance active youth engagement in WMO practices,

this paper also recommends the development of volunteer programs, internships, an annual

youth forum and the creation of a youth ambassador position to target those over 15 years.

We hereby provide the WMO with a set of recommendations to bridge the existing

generational gap within the organisation and to complement its current long term strategy

on youth outreach.

1.1. Résumé

En prenant en compte la nécessité de renforcer le programme actuel de sensibilisation de la

jeunesse promue par l'Organisation météorologique mondiale, ce document propose une

série de recommandations complémentaires. L'objectif principal de cette présentation est de

renforcer la base de connaissances disponibles, de sensibiliser et de motiver les jeunes à

participer aux activités de l'OMM traitant des problèmes liés à la météo, à l'eau et au

climat. La tranche d’âge ciblée par ce document inclue les élèves en enseignement

secondaire (de plus de 13 ans) et ceux en enseignement tertiaire (de plus de 18 ans). Cet

objectif sera atteint grâce au développement d’un programme d’éducation pour les jeunes

âgés entre 13 et 15 ans pour venir compléter l’action menée par l’OMM. En outre, d'autres

actions de sensibilisation sont proposées tels que des concours annuels, des spectacles et

des expositions ayant recours aux moyens des arts visuels et de la scène. Afin d’accroitre

l'engagement des jeunes dans les pratiques de l'OMM, ce document recommande

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également le développement de programmes de bénévolat et de stages. Il propose par

ailleurs un forum annuel de la jeunesse permettant la création d'un poste de jeune

ambassadeur s’adressant notamment aux jeunes de plus de 15 ans. Nous apportons donc à

l'Organisation météorologique mondiale un ensemble de recommandations visant à

combler l'écart existant au sein de l'organisation et de le compléter par une stratégie de

long terme en sensibilisant la jeunesse à ces problèmes.

2. Introduction

The following strategy paper presents a total of six recommendations to the World

Meteorological Organization (WMO) with the aim of strengthening its current long-term

youth outreach programme. Over the coming decades, the youth of today will need to face

and mitigate the challenges and impacts of climate change. Therefore youth participation and

engagement in practices and events related to weather, water and climate issues is crucial.

Given the scientific mandate of the WMO, this paper outlines recommendations which will

improve the accessibility, relevance and attractiveness of environmental science for youth

around the world.

The WMO has already undertaken various projects and initiatives with a view to enhance

youth engagement and participation. Previous projects have included the theme ‘Weather and

Climate: Engaging Youth’ for this year’s World Meteorological Day on March 23rd The

WMO also sponsored two Model United Nations Conferences and have recently launched a

new youth website. However, this report recognizes that there is room for improvement in the

intensification of youth participation and engagement in the practices of the WMO and related

organizations.

In the Madrid Conference Statement of 2007, the WMO outlined its mission to enhance the

world’s understanding of the role of leading organizations in addressing social and economic

benefits of weather, water and climate services.1 Meteorological and hydrological influences

and events affect the daily life of all human beings, natural environment and thus, national

economies too. Therefore, no social or economic sector stays immune from the impacts of

weather, water or climate events.2 Natural disasters are increasing both in number and in

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scale, and need further recognition from the general public, in part because of their long term

economic impact.

Therefore, six new measures and practices are henceforth recommended, focusing on

engaging youth in climate action and the WMO’s agenda. The recommendations are

individually addressed within the three chapters of this report, categorized under three main

headings which represent the three pillars of this strategy paper: Education, Empowerment

and Action.

Under Education, the recommendations (1) educational programme and (2) competitions are

described and critically assessed in terms of feasibility and challenges. The target group of the

‘Education’ pillar will be secondary school students from 13 to 15 years old. The second

pillar, aimed at the age group 16-18 is Empowerment involving (3) volunteer programmes for

students with partnered/relevant organizations and institutions and (4) organizing and

facilitating an annual youth forum. Thirdly, an age group of 18+ is targeted in the Action

pillar, wherein previously trained youth have the opportunity to put their knowledge and skills

into action through (5) appointment as a youth ambassador and (6) practical application for

students in traineeships and/ or professional guidance in Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR).

In this proposal the three pillars and respective recommendations are presented, including a

description of the context and background, the challenges and a budget estimate where

relevant. It will conclude by stating the relevance and importance of youth engagement for the

WMO, and the expected outcomes of the following recommendations. The formulation of the

following recommendations has taken into account the current gender imbalance within the

WMO, and whilst they do not recommend special temporary measures, the following

proposals all operate along the lines of inclusivity.

3. Pillar I: Education:

The first pillar of the WMO Youth Engagement Strategy (YES) focuses on the 13 to 15 years

old age range, namely secondary school students. The pillar consists of two components: 1)

educational programme and 2) competitions

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3.1. Educational Program

It is recommended that the WMO develops an impartial educational tool kit about weather,

water and climate, which can be adopted by schools and youth centers globally. The purpose

of this recommendation is primarily educational, in order to ensure that there is basic

knowledge of weather, water and climate at the local, national and international levels, which

can pave the way for action. A lack of knowledge coupled with a lack of awareness about

such issues contributes towards the perpetuation of the vicious cycle of climate inaction. The

implementation of these recommendations will educate youth about weather, water and

climate and the possible consequences of climate change, with a view to build solid

foundations for action later in life. Moreover, in order to strengthen and create more

awareness, the provision of scientific explanations in an educational and accessible format

alongside an investigation into the real economic costs of inaction will attract the attention of

the youth. The following paragraphs will outline the basis of the proposed evidence based

educational programme.

In terms of resources, developing an educational program is likely to constitute the most

expensive part of the recommendations in this strategy paper, due to the extensive knowledge

and materials required to develop such an ambitious project. However, the proposed

educational tool kit can be made more financially viable by providing access to many

resources online, in order to reduce distribution costs. Whilst it is recognised that this format

may limit accessibility for those without internet connection, it is a necessary starting point

which can be further developed by the WMO. This will strengthen the long term objective of

global inclusivity and full engagement of the youth population. It is therefore of vital

importance to invest in this educational program which will provide the basis for the next five

recommendations, and will act as a solid foundation for knowledge of issues related to

weather, water and climate.

3.2. Competitions

In addition to the aforementioned educational tool kit, it is recommended that international

competitions be organized by the WMO and partner organisations (MET-stations) in order to

activate youth participation and to increase knowledge on specific issues. This will be

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facilitated through youth activities including visual arts and crafts, photography, writing, and

other creative forms of expression, and where appropriate, expositions and displays. In

addition, students will have the opportunity to organise and participate in different performing

arts ventures such as theatre productions, songs and concerts. These will incorporate specific

themes in accordance with the WMO agenda. Organizing international competitions for youth

will require minimal investment since the network will already be established through the

educational tool kit with schools, youth centres and (local) governments. This will enable the

WMO to effectively reach the target group

4. Pillar II: Empowerment

The target group of the Empowerment Pillar comprises two recommendations for the WMO

in order to empower youth to take action and provide them with the tools with which they will

be able to participate in the practices of the WMO and its relevant organizations.

4.1. Volunteer Programs

The Youth Engagement Strategy recommends the implementation of a global volunteering

programme that engages youth, partner organisations of the WMO and other relevant

organizations/institutions such as national MET-stations. The objective is to enable youth to

participate in an internationally recognised volunteer project that strives to create real change

at a local level. The recommended volunteer time would be approximately two hours a week,

but we believe it would be beneficial for both the long term goals of the WMO and the

individual participant. The local organising institutions would have a degree of autonomy in

determining how many hours of voluntary work would be completed and in this regard could

adapt the programme according to necessity and diverging schedules. The practices of these

organizations would be directly related to issues of weather, water and climate, and where

possible, would address environmental problems within the local community in a practical

way. In addition, the WMO could provide an added incentive for particularly dedicated

volunteers. For example, those who work for a certain number of previously stipulated hours

would be able to attend the WMO Annual International Youth Forum, held in a different city

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each year. We recognise that the global nature of this volunteer programme could be

problematic, and as such, recommend that the WMO takes regional variation and cultural

norms into account during the implementation stage.

4.2. Annual Youth Forum

The fourth recommendation of the Youth Engagement Strategy is to host an annual Youth

Forum, through which knowledge and experiences of adolescents from all over the world can

be shared. In addition, the WMO could use the Youth Forum to provide training and

workshops relating to meteorological issues. The theme for the Youth Forum will change

each year in accordance with the WMO’s overarching annual theme, and will be relevant to

current global environmental developments. The Annual WMO Youth Forum can also build

upon the WMO’s previous successes with the Model United Nations (MUN). It is

recommended that the WMO explore ways in which previous MUN initiatives can be linked

to the proposed Youth Forum, in order to minimise start-up costs, and to gain a better

understanding of how such a large scale event could feasibly take place.

The purpose of organizing an annual Youth Forum is to introduce issues related to weather,

water and climate and actively engage the youth in corresponding international debates. Such

participation will help to encourage young participants to enter into fields such as

Meteorology and Hydrology, which will be beneficial to the WMO in the long term.

With regard to this pillar (Empowerment), there are two different financial considerations for

the WMO. Firstly, organizing and facilitating such an event requires financial investment, in

addition to many man hours. However, it is believed that existing conference facilities in large

cities are sufficient to host an event like the Youth Forum, for example in university or

college campuses. Moreover, the conferences or presentations organized within this forum

could be provided by members of the United Nations (UN) who are already in possession of

expertise in relevant fields, and can volunteer their services for educational ends.

The second consideration will address financial assistance for participants. Taking into

account the financial constraints of the intended participants of the Youth Forum, including

those travelling from developing areas, it would be advisable to provide some form of

compensation. Accommodation, living expenses and travel costs will all be incurred for those

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participating in the Youth Forum. We will henceforth outline the three possible scenarios (A,

B, C) through which compensation can be provided to those dedicating their time to the

WMO's cause. It should also be noted that incentives should be designed in accordance with

regional variation.

A) Monetary:

The first incentive explored will be a financial contribution for participants. This may increase

the likelihood of youth from all backgrounds being willing and able to participate in the

Youth Forum. On the other hand, a financial contribution provided by the WMO will increase

the costs associated with the recommendations.

B) Career:

The second incentive provided could be that of long term career prospects at the WMO and

affiliated bodies and institutions. This will allow for the involvement of distinguished

candidates who have a genuine desire to work in the field or organisation in the future,

thereby directly benefiting the WMO. In addition, career prospects could provide a long term

incentive for individual participants. However, the prospect of a career in the field is likely to

increase the competition for placement within the Youth Forum, as well as the possibility of

corruption during the appointment process at the local/ national level.

C) Training & Opportunities:

The final incentive explored in this section is training and similar opportunities for

participants. This may bear small costs to the WMO, but is unlikely to prove a significant

financial burden. Training opportunities act as an investment, since they have the advantage

of preparing future professionals in the field. They can also inspire future generations in

communities around the world to work towards the fulfilment of the WMO's agenda (brain

circulation).

5. Pillar III. Action

The third and final pillar of the Youth Engagement Strategy is to improve the youth outreach

of the WMO, in the form of 'Action'. This pillar consists of two recommendations and is

aimed at the tertiary level, with no age limitations. The first is the appointment of national

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youth ambassadors, who will be employed by the WMO, and will act as spokespeople

between the WMO and the youth of that particular country. Secondly it is recommended that

there should be a focus on urban areas around the world and the second recommendation will

thus target recent and prospective graduates in the fields of urban planning, engineering,

housing and other related disciplines.

5.1. Youth Ambassador

The appointment of Youth Ambassadors who have previously been directly involved in issues

related to weather, water and climate has the potential to create opportunities for the WMO

and the youth alike. It will especially assist in directly engaging youth to participate in WMO

activities. The Youth Ambassador will be utilised by the WMO and be in constant contact

with the organisation and other Youth Ambassadors. This will create an active environment

for engagement and participation. As a result, a valuable channel of communication will be

created for the WMO. The Youth Ambassador will work with the national Met Office, and

will have significant social media responsibilities. They will therefore be able to link local

issues and regional developments with the WMO’s international outlook, which will increase

the relevancy of the organisation for youth at the local level.

It is recommended to link the role of Youth Ambassadors to the Youth Forum. The Youth

Ambassadors will fulfil the role as country coordinator for those delegates in attendance.

Youth Ambassadors will be recruited from existing tertiary institutions, using a pre-

formulated criteria. For financial considerations associated with the Youth Ambassador role,

refer to section 4 (A-C).

5.2. Practical Application of Sustainability

The sixth recommendation covers the practical application of sustainability for students

whose studies are near completion. The first part of this recommendation is the Disaster Risk

Reduction (DRR) programme (i), targeting students and communities in high-risk regions in

order to improve access to education about the importance of sustainable engineering

practices with regard to building and infrastructure. The second program (ii) focuses on

economic threats and the risks of inaction, focusing on the creation of awareness among the

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youth about the economic consequences of inaction today. The long term goal is to promote

action to achieve long term sustainability for both the individual and businesses.

i) Disaster Risk Reduction Programme:

An important objective for the WMO is to monitor risks and provide information which can

lead to preventative action. This proposals in this recommendation will guide academics

alongside local experts and highly skilled worker with knowledge and skills in relation to

regional threats. Therefore, it is recommended that the WMO creates a partnership with local

NGOs, universities and community centres in order to provide information and share

experiences to reach the goal of DRR.

The DRR strategy comprises two main strands:

Internship for students of architecture, engineering, urban planning and housing

studies with a long term view to specialise in issues of meteorology an sustainability,

related to the construction industry (18- 25)

Practical training for youth in high risk urban areas (18-30)

The WMO can enable the youth to take action through the introduction of an Internship

programme which targets students and graduates from a variety of different disciplines, and

introduces them to the work of the WMO. This can be done through the use of national

institutions including the Met Office and its affiliated partners. In using existing institutions,

the WMO will be able to reduce both excessive costs and complications that could be

associated with establishing relations with new partners. A long term goal for the Internship

action programme will be to establish a network of organisations, academic institutions and

businesses that act locally in line with the agenda of the WMO. This could best be achieved

through the use of regional Met Offices, and local businesses which use a preventative

approach to issues of weather, water and climate.

The WMO Internship programme will enable youth to develop practical and transferable

skills with the intention of enhancing interest in the WMO agenda. It will focus on youth and

local communities in urban areas, for instance in slums, which are the most vulnerable areas

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due to the high level of urbanization and high population density. Those living in high risk

areas often have reduced access to mass media sources, and can lack information on sanitation

and durable construction materials that are best suited for these areas. The Internship

programme will also target those students with qualifications in engineering, architecture,

urban planning and related disciplines. It will provide a way in which youth can directly

engage with meteorological issues and environmental issues, and can take action for DRR in

the future.

All expenses on these courses will be divided between WMO, Universities and NGOs, but

details regarding funding for this project will require further clarification. The number of

interns will depend on the community needs and University preferences.

ii) Application of Sustainability:

The second part of the DRR programme will be meteorological practical training to the most

vulnerable population of urban areas. They will receive basic information and training about

construction sites and building design, specifically relevant to weather, water and climate.

These practical and information risk reduction trainings in local communities will be held at

the discretion of local communities and organising bodies and will be in line with community

requirements.

WMO states in the Madrid Conference Statement that informing governments and

stakeholders about the advantages of meteorological and hydrological infrastructure in service

is one of their main goals1. However, the WMO could do more to create awareness of the

economic impacts of climate change to consumers, who will be implicated in future

developments arising as a result of changing weather, water and climate conditions.

Encouraging investment from governments and corporations into meteorological and

hydrological infrastructures will also increase the effectiveness and accuracy of weather

measurements, and will increase the likelihood of the effects being recognised by the end

user, or information consumer. This will thus add legitimacy to the WMO's argument that

consuming in a sustainable way and cutting down carbon dioxide emissions is in the best

interests of the general public, too. In this context, it is important to show that these interests

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are both long-term, and immediate, and it is understood that effective communication between

relevant economic actors will help reduce these risks, and provide a platform for direct action.

It is thus of paramount importance to ensure that there is adequate youth inclusion and

engagement with regard to issues affecting the World Meteorological Organisation. The six

recommendations made within this report aim to create awareness amongst the global youth,

in the hope that bottom-up change will occur and sustainable habits will evolve. In some

respects, the WMO can establish and even influence the behaviour of young people through

educational measures, which sets the wheels of change turning, with the objective of

achieving real quantifiable change in the future.

An important way in which the Youth Engagement Strategy can reach out to the youth and

allow for realistic environmental actions is by connecting with corporations and other

influential economic actors. This can be achieved by documenting their dependency on

natural resources, and how environmental instability will affect practices within different

organisations in the future. Business students, for example, should be aware that of practices

regarding sustainable development, in order to best satisfy the requirements of communities,

corporations and the youth. The WMO has the means to make business students broaden their

horizons about the economic consequences of short-term economic exploitation at the

expense of the long-term availability of resources and sustainability. A way in which this

could be undertaken is through the employment of case studies in which students would be

required to build up a fictional company, taking into account both profit margins and

sustainability. In this way, the WMO can help to demonstrate the possibilities within the

realm of sustainability, which is often perceived as a limiting era.

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6. Conclusion

Recognizing the risks for inaction today for the future of tomorrow, and the importance of

youth engagement in establishing new measures and methods, this report presents a

multidimensional approach in order to strengthen the current youth outreach program of the

World Meteorological Organization. Climate changes and natural disasters will have a

negative effect not only on agriculture, ecosystems and societies, but also upon financial

sectors. Only a tight cooperation between all economic agents including the government,

stakeholders, NGOs, international organizations, youth and communities will lead to

improved disaster risk reduction in the long-run. Education and the creation of awareness

among the youth is herein crucial for the future success of the WMO and its strategies.

Furthermore, volunteerism will allow real change to occur at a local level. It will help to

address environmental issues within the local community but in a practical way. Research and

training of youth will also help to reduce the impact of natural hazards. Youth can become

better engaged in the WMO through the development and strengthening of direct links

between the youth and the organisation itself. Disaster risk reduction strategies can be used to

directly involve local communities in the most vulnerable urban areas across the world, and

the aforementioned projects will provide a platform upon which the youth can directly engage

in these issues, and contribute to the mitigation of problematic developments concerning

weather, water and climates.