Climate Action Clubs: Nurturing the Next Generation of Climate Action Leaders
Across Jordan, these UNICEF-supported clubs are empowering children with climate education and opportunities for action.
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The school’s courtyard is buzzing with energy. The seats are arranged in a semi-circle. Facing it, the teacher asks environment-related questions and each time, students throw their hands in the air, enthusiastic to answer.
This is a Climate Action Club in Aqaba. Launched in the 2019 – 2020 school year, the club aims to provide climate education, key for climate adaptation and resilience, to children at a young age. Through the club, children become climate action advocates with their peers and families and participate in initiatives to tackle environmental challenges facing their local communities. It currently runs in 20 Ministry of Education schools and 12 Makani centres across Jordan.
Meet some of this club’s members in Jordan’s only coastal city.
Suzan, 14, in a Climate Action Club session that addresses sustainable WASH practices.
“In our fight against climate change, acquiring knowledge is like winning half the battle. The other half is figuring out what to do with this knowledge.”
Selene, 13, participates in a Climate Action Club session on waste management.
“My wish is to one day live in an environment that is clean and free of plastics and for our world to produce less greenhouse gasses," she says.
Tala, 13, interviews Hamzah Al-Moheisen from the Aqaba Marine Reserve, part of a documentary on the preservation of marine life she is preparing with her club peers.
“I enjoyed doing this project so much. I want many people to watch our documentary so they can become more aware about the consequences of their actions.” she says.
“I once went for a swim in the sea and found a small fish trapped in a plastic bag. I called my dad, and he helped rescue the fish from the bag and it swam away safely. I was very happy that I had helped save a creature’s life but, at the same time, I was sad that another human discarded this rubbish in the sea in the first place." says Tala.
“The club has been a beautiful addition to our school."
In 2023, over 6,200 children aged 6-17 years engaged in Climate Action Clubs across Jordan. The clubs are generously supported by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
