Humanitarian Networks and Partnerships Weeks

Session title: Addressing the impact of climate change on children and young people in the Middle East - An evidence-based and child-focused mental model approach

Organizer(s): World Vision Middle East and Eastern Europe

18 Mar 25 11:00-12:00 UTC+1

SessionAbstract

World Vision Middle East and Eastern Europe (WV MEER) and the American University of Beirut (AUB), in collaboration with the Beirut Urban Lab, have joined forces to understand how climate change impacts children and young people in the Middle East through a new study entitled “ Impact of Climate Change and Environmental Actions”.They analyzed data through a special "mental modelling" approach to understand how children and young people in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Iraq and the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT)experience, perceive and process climate change in their daily lives and what they want to do about it.

The event will feature a discussion with local and international experts from academia and humanitarian organizations working to address climate change, to unpack how involving children and young people at every step of the process can make a difference. They will delve into the study's findings and its implications and encourage an interactive discussion with the audience. Speakers will include local staff working to prevent climate change in the Middle East and a youth climate advocate from the region.

Agenda

Addressing the impact of climate change on children and young people in the Middle East - An evidence-based and child-focused mental model approach - session overview

- Colleagues from the American University of Beirut (AUB) will be introducing the joint regional research on climate change's impact on children and young people in the Middle East, as well as the unique "mental model" methodology employed for this particular study.

- World Vision MEER's Environmental Stewardship and Climate Adaptation (ESCA) Advisor will discuss the key findings and recommendations from the study at a regional level.

- ESCA focal points from World Vision field offices in Iraq and Jerusalem-West Bank (JWG) will discuss what the findings mean for their particular contexts and programs.

- A youth representative from the Green Communities project in the West Bank will testify about her work to fight climate change together with her community and peers.

- A video of children speaking out about climate change in the Middle East will be showcased at the end of the session.

Speakers

Dr. Rami Zurayk (moderator)

Professor at the Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences at the American University of Beirut, Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management Department and member of the Beirut Urban Lab

Dr. Ghinwa Harik
Environmental Consultant and Mental Modelling Researcher at the American University of Beirut

Dr. Aaron Tanner

Environmental Stewardship & Climate Adaptation Advisor at World Vision Middle East & Eastern Europe

Khalil Hamad

Operations Manager at WV Iraq

Saher Khoury

BMZ Green Palestine & Climate-Nutrition Project Coordinator at WV Jerusalem-West Bank (JWG)

Bushra

Youth Climate Advocate from the West Bank and Coordinator of the Green Communities Project