Youth voices to shape the new EU Climate Resilience Framework

Zadnja sprememba Petek, 20/02/2026

Young people met with the people behind the upcoming Climate Resilience Framework to discuss their views and hopes. You can also share your own opinion through the public consultation now!

On 12 February the European Commission’s DG CLIMA hosted a youth event involving around 30 participants to discuss the upcoming Integrated Framework on Climate Resilience. The young people were representatives of European youth organisations, national youth councils, researchers, or simply concerned and interested citizens. 

During the session, Martin Spolc, Head of Unit of the Climate Adaptation Unit at DG CLIMA, presented the initiative, followed by a deep-dive discussion where participants voiced their concerns.

Many attendees highlighted that the current narrative focuses too heavily on competitiveness and security, often neglecting the essential social and human dimensions necessary for transformative change. They pointed out that many national strategies currently lack risk assessments for vulnerable groups and fail to provide meaningful follow-up for at-risk communities.

The youth representatives proposed a variety of concrete suggestions to strengthen the Framework. These included the institutionalization of meaningful youth participation, the incorporation of intergenerational justice, and a shift toward nature-based solutions rather than just physical infrastructure. There was also a strong call to address the mental health impacts of climate change on younger generations and to move beyond GDP by considering more holistic success indicators. 

Martin Spolc concluded the event by emphasizing that this was a vital listening exercise. He urged youth organizations to provide written comments that offer concrete solutions for legislation and policy. A follow-up session will be held in a few months to discuss how this feedback has been integrated. 

But even if you were not at the meeting yourself, you can directly influence these policies by contributing to the Open Public Consultation until the 23 February. Your perspective is essential to ensure the Framework is truly resilient and fair for the generations to come.