Climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time, but for many young people it can feel like an abstract or distant issue. Although emissions data and scientific warnings are widely available, teenagers often struggle to connect these figures with their own choices, aspirations and future.
This creates a gap: they hear the science, but don’t always see how it links to their own lives. It's about making the climate crisis tangible, relatable, and actionable for teenagers.
We addressed this challenge by designing El Clima y Tu Huella (The Climate and Your Footprint), an immersive workshop for young people (13–18) to better understand the impcats of climate change and explore concrete ways to reduce their carbon footprint.
At the heart of the programme is a carbon footprint calculator specifically designed for teenagers, with questions directly linked to their daily lives and choices. We designed the methodology, performed the calculations, and validated the results with experts to ensure accuracy and relevance.
The pilot, held in Jaca (Spain) with 32 students, combined this tool with interactive activities: quizzes, the Climate Fresk (El Mural del Clima), and collaborative action planning across transport, housing, food, and consumption.
To scale the programme, we launched a Train the Trainer initiative for educators and youth associations, supported by engaging materials such as guidelines, recycled notebooks and QR-coded eco-bags.
The NextGenCarbon pilot surpassed its goals, engaging 32 teenagers with high satisfaction levels and strong commitment to action. Participants deepened their understanding of climate change and carbon footprints, with 90% pledging to adopt concrete measures from their personalised plans. The digital carbon calculator and interactive tools proved especially effective, while the Train the Trainer programme certified 7 facilitators and 2 organisations, ensuring replication and wider community impact. Importantly, the pilot also served as a co-creation space, where feedback from students and teachers directly shaped the refinement of the workshops and tools. Teachers highlighted the workshop’s dynamic and engaging methodology, confirming its success as both an educational and behavioural catalyst.
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This work was developed as part of the project NEXTGENCARBON an Erasmus+ project co-led by Idílica Innovación and Three o’clock. The project is focused on raising awareness about climate change and reducing individual carbon footprints among young people and educators.
