Bridging voices in the climate crisis: A participatory approach to strengthen youth-decision-maker dialogue on climate adaptation in South Wales
Type: conference-paper
Abstract: The climate crisis is inherently intergenerational, yet youth voices remain marginalised in climate policy decision-making. Current frameworks oscillate between tokenistic consultation and overly demanding participation, expecting young people to navigate complex, adult-centric policy spaces. This paper introduces a PhD project, situated at the intersection of youth studies, environmental policy, and creative methods, arguing that authentic youth voices emerge not from independence, but through relational scaffolding that meets young people where they are.Adapting Dunlop et al.’s (2025) methodology for intergenerational deliberative dialogue, the paper details a three-stage method. Stage one involved conducting school-based workshops across South Wales, utilising an idea board activity to introduce the Welsh Climate Adaptation Strategy. This creative approach addressed barriers to engaging diverse demographics, encouraging them to engage with complex ideas and choose creative modes of expression.Stage two involved an online co-productive phase where tensions of participation were experienced. While young people expressed a clear interest in engaging with decision-makers, the expectation of long-term commitment risked an extractive dynamic, with little immediate benefit. These findings indicate that participation frameworks must be adaptable and reflective of young people’s wants.The final stage builds on these insights to facilitate an intergenerational event where youth and Welsh decision-makers come together to discuss key themes derived from the stage one workshops. By combining low-intensity engagement with high-value dialogue, this research demonstrates that meaningful participation need not be exhaustive and that creative, relational approaches can redistribute power while avoiding the extraction of youth labour.
Language: English
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7212208167