[Student Voices] Youth empowerment to lead climate action
Published: 07 Jan. 2026, 09:47
Minju Chung, Seoul International School
By MINJU CHUNG, Seoul International School
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled on July 23 that nations have binding legal duties to prevent environmental damage and make significant emission reductions, referring to climate change as an existential threat to humanity. Along similar lines, in early November, Korea increased its Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 53-61 percent from 2018 levels by 2035. Both international and domestic efforts to reduce carbon emissions and encourage climate action have one objective in common—to reduce the burden passed on to future generations in tackling irreversible impacts of climate change.
However, the future generation is not the main actor represented and actively involved in discussions shaping climate policy. This disengagement is not a result of young individuals' lack of interest or concern for climate change, but rather a reflection of society's current absence of guidance and opportunities for the youth to lead climate action.
Recent data uncover youth's heightened concern for climate change, as a survey by GlobeScan found that 73 percent of the Gen Z age group felt “extremely worried about current and future harm” caused by climate change. However, they feel powerless in driving climate action. GlobeScan also found that young people believing individual action will not make a difference in climate change increased from 33% in 2020 to 42% in 2024. This imbalance between youth's increasing concern and lack of empowerment in leading climate action is not merely survey data.
As a third culture kid who grew up in different places around the world with different climates, I was alarmed by climate change not as a distant issue, but as a slow distortion of the seasons that shaped my childhood around the world. I wondered what I could do to make climate action happen. Starting a one-person protest against companies refusing to make carbon emission reductions? Send cold emails to politicians that I want the government to consider more regulations for carbon emissions? I spent hours browsing websites that shared information on opportunities to get involved with climate action, only to run into endless posts about internship opportunities and recruitment notices for greenhouse gas consulting firms or climate technology labs strictly limited to those above the age of 18.
There were simply no entry points to lead climate action as a teenager, until I found a seminar for high school students about the growing importance of ESG. The mentor was Oh Byung-ho, member of the Presidential Committee on Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth. His explanation about current issues in Korea's ESG policies and discussion on other environmental policies such as the emission trading system (ETS) made it a fruitful seminar. But my passion could not stop the experience there. I asked Mr. Oh for a follow up interview session, as I wanted to know more about current obstacles in Korea's ETS and his experience as an environmental education activist. Most importantly, I needed more guidance to spark my own climate action leadership.
“I would recommend first studying relevant policy materials so that you can better understand existing climate policies,” Mr. Oh said. “Resources from the National Assembly Research Service, the Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Commission, and the Korea Environment Institute (KEI) can help you. In my opinion, hands-on volunteering and experience can make you more engaged in this work. Try joining citizen group volunteer programs, enter climate-related idea competitions, and participate in mock national assemblies or regional policy groups. These can help you understand how policies are implemented in real life.”
This advice has guided every step I've taken as a climate leader. I first founded a youth climate organization C02gether that publishes articles on recent net-zero related news and different nation's climate policies. We have also interviewed the Slovenian ambassador on the country's remarkable progress to sustainability and how he aims to expand similar efforts in Korea through bee diplomacy. This club has now expanded across Korea, China, and the US, and we are continuing progress by planning to host offline forums and hands-on campaigning for petition signatures.
For example, reading the Carbon Neutrality and Green Growth Commission's reports, I noticed how its framework law mandates local governments to create their own carbon neutrality plans. However, through more research, I found that my district has not updated one since 2017, which stated that it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 30% from 2005 levels by 2025. Hence, I took a step to influence regional policy by filing a formal complaint on my district website calling for the local government to release an official results report as to whether this goal was achieved so that residents can confirm the progress of these climate goals.
Being more involved in environmental leadership, I now call for systemic changes to be made by Korean society to create easier and concrete paths for more youth to be engaged in climate action. If climate goals are truly for future generations, then systems must allow the youth to be at the center of policy discussions. Young individuals need more opportunities to influence decisions about Korea's NDC goals, publicly shed light on specific issues that concern them, and create youth councils with real authority. The future generation should no longer be told ‘your future is at stake’ while being treated as spectators in climate action. They need to be empowered by Korean society to lead climate action, not just inherit its consequences.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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