Young people in Cyprus, Greece and Malta do not participate in political dialogue for climate crisis and green transition, as they feel "politcally invinsible," revealed on Monday.
The findings were a result of a study carried out by AKTI NGO, the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR) and the environmental organisation Nature Trust FEE Malta (NTM) carried out within the framework of the European project RESIsles.
Withdrawing from dialogue
A press release by AKTI said that 381 citizens participated in targeted quantitative and qualitative research activities through local events, co-creation cafés, and workshops in Cyprus, Greece and Malta.
Although youngsters are more aware of the climate crisis than any previous generation, they continue to withdraw from democratic dialogue, the study found.
"Abstention, particularly among young people, is primarily the result of systemic and structural barriers. Qualitative findings from the six co-creation cafés of the RESIsles project show that the feeling of political invisibility is the most important factor behind non-participation", the press release reads.
Fatigue
AKTI says that young people in all three countries feel excluded from decision-making processes and believe that their voice is not heard, a feeling that leads to frustration and political inactivity and when participation does not produce visible results, it turns into fatigue and, eventually, abstention.
Young people feel that institutions do not operate in the interest of the common good, the press release says, adding that many participants reported being only partially informed, without knowing how or where they could participate in a meaningful way.
Moreover, 67% of participants consider the lack of appropriate infrastructure to be a strong barrier to active participation and the green transition.
Willing but excluded
The absence of deposit-return recycling systems, inadequate public transport, limited access to green points, and the high cost of “green” options distance young people from the path towards the green transition, the research finds.
The lack of accessible and clear participation mechanisms is recorded as another inhibiting factor, with 42% of participants stating that they do not know where to find relevant information or opportunities to participate, or which institutions are responsible.
President of AKTI’s Board of Directors, Dr. Xenia I. Loizidou said that the results reveal a new generation that is willing but excluded, informed but without the necessary tools.
"Young people do not reject participation, they have simply not been offered a trusted, clear, and functional way to engage, or the certainty that their voice truly matters. We hope that these messages from citizens will reach decision-makers", she said.