Youth Climate Lab

About YCL

YCL is a youth-for-youth lab founded in May 2017 to support and strengthen a generation of leaders in shaking up the status quo of climate inaction. Since then, we have worked with 30+ partners to design, pilot, and scale innovative experiments projects that have reached thousands of young people combating climate change in more than 77 countries.

Mission 

Design, pilot, and scale innovative experiments that tackle problems faced by young people around the globe in their fight against climate change. 

Vision 

Young people – no matter who they are or where they are from – are supported in building the just, climate-resilient futures they deserve.

Approach

At YCL, we are dedicated to radical collaboration—RAD collab for short. We work with diverse and unexpected co-creators that spark transformational youth-led ideas and projects following these six principles:

1. Youth-first: Our collaborations prioritize the needs and efforts of youth as they build just, climate-resilient futures. 
2. Creative: We seek partners who are excited about experimenting with new approaches, and who recognize that complex, ambiguous problems require unusual intersections. 
3. Inclusive: By acknowledging and working through systemic biases, YCL seeks to think beyond ourselves. We thoughtfully welcome people from all walks of life into often hard-to-navigate climate spaces.
4. Disruptive: We work with partners who are willing to make the radical change necessary to secure a just and climate-resilient futures.
5. Catalytic: Our partnerships amplify strong, existing initiatives and spark new and unique programs – ensuring that we use our resources as effectively as possible without doubling efforts in the climate space.
6. Equitable: We recognize our privilege and seek to leverage our positionality to support and amplify the voices and solutions of youth, particularly youth of marginalized genders, on the frontlines of climate change.