{"id":24998,"date":"2025-05-28T17:41:24","date_gmt":"2025-05-28T15:41:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/talking-hope.org\/?p=24998"},"modified":"2025-07-07T14:56:35","modified_gmt":"2025-07-07T12:56:35","slug":"climate-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/talking-hope.org\/en\/climate-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Young adults from socially disadvantaged backgrounds want climate action"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CLIMATE ACTION
IS DEMOCRACY IS
SOCIAL JUSTICE<\/h1>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Young Adults from Disadvantaged Backgrounds<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Chance for Inclusive Climate Action and a Better Democracy <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Eva-Maria McCormack and Fine Hornbostel<\/em><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

For young adults from socially disadvantaged backgrounds, climate action is the most pressing issue of our time \u2014 and they are ready to get involved.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the key finding of the scoping project \u201cWhat Can We Even Do?\u201d \u2013 Young Adults Between Climate Crisis, Social Disadvantage, and Shaping the Future\u201d<\/em><\/strong>, presented by Talking Hope and Stiftung Mercator to over 40 stakeholders from the fields of climate action, social care and democracy promotion at the Berlin ProjectCenter on May 20, 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Foto: Jenny Bischofberger and Eva-Maria McCormack presenting the findings<\/em><\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The research project, which spanned more than a year, focused on young adults (18-25 years old) with low formal education, from rural areas, Eastern Germany as well as  young adults with migrant family backgrounds. As part of the project, Talking Hope had conducted a comprehensive review of the academic research, a social media analysis, focus groups, stakeholder interviews and a representative survey involving over 1,500 young adults from these target groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants at the 20 May event explored the barriers which young adults from structurally disadvantaged backgrounds face in engaging with climate action \u2014 and how their participation and specific perspectives could open the door to a more socially inclusive climate transition and deeper democratic engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Discussions at the event were deliberately segmented by powerful audio clips from focus groups with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. These voices, from East Germany, rural communities, migrant backgrounds, and low-education households, painted a vivid picture of both the challenges and the untapped potential which these young adults represent.<\/p>\n\n\n

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63 % of young adults from socially disadvantaged backgrounds would be willing to engage in
climate action.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Key insights from the study, which were reflected on at the event:<\/p>\n\n\n

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