A survey study with the young people’s climate change and nature group, NUOLI
The young people’s climate change and nature group, NUOLI, established in the spring of 2023 under the Prime Minister’s Office (Finnish abbreviation: VNK) and Nuorten Agenda 2030 Group, consisting of 14 young adults (18-25 years old). Their role involves supporting ministries in planning, implementing, and evaluating the impact of youth participation in sustainable decision making. Focused on bringing young, novel perspectives and practical solutions to decision-making, NUOLI aims to ensure the voices of future generations are considered in policy-shaping, promoting increased youth involvement in environmental decisions about their future.
Many young people are working on combatting climate change and biodiversity. These young people are clearly emotionally involved in this work, and it shows on the 2021 Youth Barometer. Over three-quarters of the young people who answered the survey (76%) stated they feel sad about the loss of biodiversity and the extinction of species. Also, the percentage of youth who agree with the statement “Future generations will suffer if the current destruction of the environment continues” increased between 2016 and 2021.
To be able to understand how to support young people in environmental organizations, NUOLI did a survey together with the Finnish Youth Research Society. The survey assessed the experiences of young people in environmental matters, within varying youth organizations. The responses to the survey are being used to help support all youth organizations in the development of their activities, particularly when it comes to environmental advocacy and environmental emotions, as well as to form policy recommendations on how young people could be incorporated better into environmental decisions. The message from the survey responses is clear: young people deeply care about their environment and are willing to spend a lot of their free time working on environmental matters.
Publications
First publication in English is by Sarella Arkkila titled “Young People and Their Modern Roots to Nature”, published in Uoma Journal no.1.
The survey study has been presented by young people from NUOLI group:
- Sarella Arkkila and Aaro Sariola: NYRIS, Nordic Youth research Symposium (12-14 June 2024, Tampere, Finland)
- Aaro Sariola: Symposium: Young people, democracy and climate action (24-26 September 2024, European Youth Centre Strasbourg)
- Start year:
- 2024
- End year:
- 2030
Hankkeen johtaja
Sofia Laine
PhD, title of docent in Youth Research (University of Tampere)
Research Professor
+358 44 416 5374
sofia.laine@youthresearch.fi
