CCC, NYC launch youth climate accelerator program

The Climate Change Commission (CCC) and the National Youth Commission (NYC) have launched a joint initiative with selected higher education institutions to equip college students with climate policy and leadership skills, officials announced Thursday.

The Youth Climate Leadership Accelerator Project launched its pilot session virtually on 15 August. The fast-tracked program spans four consecutive Saturdays and covers climate science, diplomacy, communications, and policy governance across participating universities.

CCC vice chairperson and executive director Robert E.A. Borje highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration during the launch, urging participants from various academic fields to combine their technical, scientific, and communication skills to build viable climate solutions.

“Very often, the solution is not sitting inside one person,” Borje said. “It emerges when different people learn how to think and work together.”

The program features sessions led by prominent scientific advisors, including former members of the commission’s National Panel of Technical Experts. Dr. Rodel Lasco, executive director of the Oscar M. Lopez Center, conducted a masterclass on climate science and nature-based adaptation strategies. Dr. Emma E. Porio, a professor emeritus at Ateneo de Manila University, directed a session focused on community-level engagement and ecosystem stability.