By Abbas Nazil
High school students in Japan’s Ishikawa Prefecture have begun a new capacity development programme designed to equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to address climate change, biodiversity loss and other sustainable development challenges.
The programme, known as the Youth Empowerment Programme Ishikawa Kanazawa 2026, was launched on May 21 by the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability (UNU-IAS) through its Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (OUIK).
According to a statement published by UNU-IAS, the initiative seeks to develop the next generation of youth leaders by engaging students in inquiry-based learning activities and expert-led discussions on sustainability issues affecting communities around the world.
The first session of the programme was held on May 28 and brought together high school students from across Ishikawa Prefecture to explore the interconnected challenges of climate change, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
Speaking during the session, Naoyuki Okano, Programme Officer at UNU-IAS, delivered a lecture focusing on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), climate change and the links between global environmental concerns and local community challenges.
He stressed the importance of involving young people in climate action and highlighted their critical role in building a more sustainable and resilient society.
Okano encouraged participants to examine how environmental and sustainability issues manifest within their own communities and to consider practical ways they can contribute to positive change.
The session also featured a presentation by Juan Pastor-Ivars, Research Fellow and Academic Associate at UNU-IAS OUIK, who discussed the significance of urban nature in promoting biodiversity conservation, mitigating climate change impacts and enhancing human well-being.
Pastor-Ivars led participants in a discussion on the relationship between local communities and nature, emphasizing the importance of biocultural diversity and the need to preserve both ecological systems and cultural practices that support sustainable living.
Throughout the programme’s opening session, students actively exchanged ideas and shared perspectives on environmental challenges facing their communities.
The discussions enabled participants to deepen their understanding of how global sustainability issues are connected to their everyday lives and local environments.
UNU-IAS noted that the programme is designed not only to increase awareness of environmental challenges but also to empower young people to become active contributors to sustainable development efforts in their communities.
The initiative reflects growing international recognition of the role of youth engagement in addressing climate change and biodiversity loss, particularly as countries work towards achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and strengthening climate resilience.
By combining expert lectures with interactive learning and dialogue, the Youth Empowerment Programme aims to provide students with the knowledge, critical thinking skills and leadership capacity needed to address environmental challenges and contribute to a sustainable future.
More information about the programme is available through the UNU-IAS Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa, which continues to support research, education and community engagement on sustainability issues in Japan and beyond.
