The first Youth Climate Challenge was held in conjunction with the 2019 Southwestern Tribal Climate Change Summit and hosted over 8 youth teams from communities across the Southwestern United States and Mexico. This Challenge provided an opportunity to come together, focus on climate strategies and solutions, and advance resilience efforts throughout the Southwest and North America. Following the Challenge, students were offered the opportunity to propose their projects for funding to implement. The following project has been awarded support for the 2019-2020 year.
About the Inaugural Youth Climate Challenge:
In collaboration with partners from across the region, the La Jolla Band of Luiseño Indians, Pala Band of Mission Indians, Climate Science Alliance, and the Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals convened the second Southwestern Tribal Climate Change Summit in August 2019. The first Youth Climate Challenge was held in conjunction with this event and hosted over 8 youth teams from communities across the Southwestern United States and Mexico. This Challenge provided an opportunity to come together, focus on climate strategies and solutions, and advance resilience efforts throughout the Southwest and North America. Following the Challenge, students were offered the opportunity to propose their projects for funding to implement. The following project has been awarded support for the 2019-2020 year.
Project:
Club Juvenil de Fotógrafos de Naturaleza:
Huellas Volcánicas, the Youth Club of Nature Photographers
Team Members: Nathalia Lugo Murillo, Francisco Lugo Murillo, Joan Gisus Hernández, Joana Hernández, Mirna Borrego Lazalde (Chaperone), José Lamberto Hernández (Chaperone)
Community of Impact: San Quintin Bay, Mexico
Our Story: We have decided to get involved in this project because we care about the conservation of the natural resources in San Quintín Bay (Mexico). We have grown up in this community and we are witnessing how the habitat is disappearing, therefore, we want to contribute to its conservation by raising awareness so people know what we have and learn to appreciate it and protect it.
Our community is surrounded by volcanoes, dunes, and wetlands of international importance. It is a habitat for thousands of species and migratory birds and a site of high oyster production. In addition, there are agricultural fields all around the community, this is one of the principal sources of employment for the population. Unfortunately, we are facing great challenges because of drought and contamination. This is why we want to inform and raise awareness in our families, friends, and people from the community about the appropriate use of natural resources around us, the sustainable use of water, wetland protection, and the elimination of illegal dumpsites created in the zone.
Our Solution: As a youth club of nature photographers, we use photography as a tool to tell stories about our community and the environmental problems we face. By taking these pictures, we aim to share the inspiration and hope needed to make a change in our community. In February 2020, we will celebrate the World Wetlands Day in the community of Chapala (San Quintín), right at the entrance to the wetlands in the area. We will organize a festival for this celebration that will include educational activities, this way the neighboring schools will be able to join us. One of the activities we are expecting to offer is a photographic safari tour in the wetlands. We will explain their importance, show plants, birds and scenery, and the people attending the tour will be able to take photos and explore it. We want people to know about the importance of wetlands to protect them and live in harmony with nature.
We will address the problems in our community by offering activities of environmental education that show the importance and beauty of this land. We expect to inspire the community to join the club for the protection of our natural resources.
About the The Youth Climate Challenge: An immersive experience that connects students with leading climate scientists, practitioners, artists, and fellow youth. In challenge teams, students are guided and challenged to identify and analyze the climate impacts in their own communities. Together, they investigate climate strategies and solutions and formulate action plans to implement in their sphere of influence.
To learn more about the Youth Climate Challenge, please visit: https://www.climatesciencealliance.org/youth-climate-challenge
To sponsor the Youth Climate Challenge program and the next generation of environmental changemakers, please visit: https://www.climatesciencealliance.org/support