UN Habitat Nepal organized a two-day workshop on “Youth Engagement in Climate Action through the Localization of the Sustainable Development Goals” on 9–10 October 2025 in Pulchowk, Lalitpur. The event was part of the “Accelerating Localization of Integrated Climate Action in Nepal” project, funded by the Joint SDG Fund and implemented jointly by WFP, UNDP, and UN Habitat. The workshop brought together 53 participants, including 28 women and 26 young people aged 18–30, representing universities, civil society, municipal authorities, and development partners.
The workshop aimed to strengthen youth leadership in local climate action by building their skills and confidence to design and implement climate solutions within their communities. It also provided a platform for young participants to connect with local government officials and learn about ongoing SDG localization initiatives. Participants included individual youth climate advocates and representatives from organizations such as CIUD, Lumanti, Clean Up Nepal, Chay Ya Nepal, the Institute of Engineering, Kathmandu University, and ICIMOD.
Over the two days, sessions blended technical learning with creative exercises, reflection, and wellbeing activities. Youth participants discussed the Sustainable Development Goals and identified pressing climate risks in their communities, including air pollution, waste management, water shortages, flooding, and the loss of green spaces. Experts from UN Habitat, the Kathmandu Valley Development Authority, and UNEP shared insights on urban climate challenges and practical solutions, highlighting nature-based approaches, green building methods, and community-led waste management strategies.
A Human-Centred Foresighting Design workshop, facilitated by Utopia, enabled participants to turn concerns into actionable ideas. Exercises like the Sailboat reflection and group challenges encouraged creative thinking, with a focus on circular economy practices, environmental awareness, better use of data, and stronger collaboration with local authorities. Participants then moved to a prototyping phase, developing storyboards for initiatives such as community water reuse systems, a youth counselling centre for climate anxiety, digital tools for citizen-government communication, and biodegradable alternatives to plastic products.
The programme also included sessions on the prevention of sexual exploitation, abuse, and harassment, an introduction to opportunities with UN Volunteers, and talks from youth leaders and sports professionals, emphasizing ethics, personal wellbeing, and the importance of supportive networks in climate action.
Feedback from the workshop indicated strong enthusiasm, with participants expressing confidence in young people’s ability to influence local climate action and calling for more regular, practical learning opportunities. The workshop concluded with a shared commitment to implement these ideas in local communities, with UN Habitat continuing to collaborate with municipalities, universities, and civil society partners to expand youth-driven climate solutions across Nepal.
