A Youth Strategy for Public Outreach on Climate Change

This 1999 consulting report by the IISD Business Trust, submitted to the Government of Canada, proposes a five-year engagement strategy to raise climate change awareness and motivate emissions reductions among Canadian youth aged 13 to 29. Moving beyond simple social marketing, the strategy emphasizes an 'engagement' model that positions youth as leaders and participants. It is structured around three interrelated streams: information and awareness campaigns, capacity building for youth, and community actions, with a strong emphasis on intergenerational and multisectoral collaboration.

• The report argues that personal behavior change alone is insufficient for significant greenhouse gas reductions, necessitating an 'engagement strategy' rather than a 'marketing strategy'. The goal is to leverage youth energy to reduce the 25% of emissions from personal lifestyles and collaborate with the private sector and government to address the 75% of emissions from businesses and industries.
• Research indicates a significant 'knowledge-behaviour gap' among youth, where awareness of issues like recycling does not consistently translate into action. This gap is attributed to a lack of trust in institutional problem-solving, a perceived lack of commitment from elders and authority figures, and a lack of successful models for action.

APA

Creech, H., Buckler, C., Innes, L., & Larochelle, S. (1999). A Youth Strategy for Public Outreach on Climate Change. International Institute for Sustainable Development. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/youth_eng.pdf

Chicago

Creech, Heather, Carolee Buckler, Lani Innes, and Serge Larochelle. A Youth Strategy for Public Outreach on Climate Change. International Institute for Sustainable Development, 1999. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/youth_eng.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Creech |first1=Heather |last2=Buckler |first2=Carolee |last3=Innes |first3=Lani |last4=Larochelle |first4=Serge |title=A Youth Strategy for Public Outreach on Climate Change |publisher=International Institute for Sustainable Development |date=31 March 1999 |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/youth_eng.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{creech1999youth, author = {Creech, Heather and Buckler, Carolee and Innes, Lani and Larochelle, Serge}, title = {{A Youth Strategy for Public Outreach on Climate Change}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, year = {1999}, month = mar, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/youth_eng.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }