Paris Watch - Youth Training
Past Event
2026-07-18
Empowering Youth Climate Action through Practice: The 7th Cohort of CATY Project Presentation and Graduation Ceremony Successfully Held
CarbonCare InnoLab (CCIL) hosted the 7th Cohort of the Climate Advocacy Training for Youth (CATY) Project Presentation and Graduation Ceremony on 18 July 2026. Ms. Winnie Ma, Senior Grants Manager of WYNG Foundation; Mr. Andy Chu, Project Manager of Greenpeace; and Ms. Wingki Kwok, Associate Director of Arup, were invited as special guest commentators to celebrate this important milestone with the current cohort. Together with Ms. Ivy Leung, Executive Director of CarbonCare InnoLab, they witnessed the learning journey, growth and advocacy outcomes of 24 youth participants.
After several months of climate advocacy training, the participants developed their community climate advocacy projects under the guidance of mentors and CATY alumni. Through field visits, on-site interviews and stakeholder engagement, the youth teams explored local climate challenges from community perspectives and refined their advocacy directions. The commentators recognised the participants’ commitment and creativity, and offered valuable feedback to support their future endeavours in driving more proactive and decisive climate action.
This year, the four youth teams presented advocacy initiatives addressing different climate and social issues:
Cooling Neighbours (IG: @cooling.neighbours.hk):
The team referred to the “Hong Kong Nature-based Solutions Design Guidelines” and advocated for improvements to community park design, as well as enhancement works for existing community parks. In the long run, the team hopes to promote the wider adoption of Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in urban renewal, building improvement and other urban construction projects, providing climate-resilient public spaces for grassroots communities to better cope with extreme weather and protect their physical and mental well-being.
Battery rEVolution:
The team advocated for improved regulation, recycling and storage arrangements for retired electric vehicle batteries, along with the implementation of a battery digital passport. They also proposed prohibiting unauthorised companies or garages from modifying electric vehicle batteries without approval. In the long run, the team called for the adoption of a Producer Responsibility Scheme to encourage car manufacturers to recycle and repurpose retired batteries, while aligning with the Greater Bay Area’s “Zero Waste Bay Area” development strategy.
Agents of Change:
The team advocated for the Government to update the Guidance Notes on Prevention of Heat Stroke at Work by adopting the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) as the standard for assessing heat stress. They also proposed incorporating heat prevention requirements into government tender terms, and authorising the inspection team to hold parties accountable for contract breaches, so as to strengthen corporate implementation of heat protection measures. In the long run, the team hopes to advance more comprehensive statutory protection for workers under extreme heat and safeguard the occupational safety of outdoor workers.
Mindspace:
The team advocated for “Hong Kong’s Climate Action Plan 2050” to address the mental health risks brought about by climate change, and to integrate mental health considerations into climate policy planning. The project initially focused on the impact of extreme weather on people in mental health recovery. Through interviews, the team reviewed whether existing social welfare policies and working guidelines adequately respond to the psychological needs of people in mental health recovery under the context of climate adaptation.
The efforts of the four youth teams once again demonstrated the self-drive and determination of young people in climate advocacy. By taking initiative, engaging communities and transforming observations into concrete actions, they helped bring climate issues into broader public discussion and opened up new possibilities for Hong Kong’s climate adaptation, resource circulation, labour protection and mental health policies.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, Ms. Ivy Leung presented graduation certificates to the participants and mentors, and expressed her appreciation for the dedication and hard work of the 24 youth participants over the past several months. She encouraged them to stay true to their aspirations and continue to integrate the perspective of climate justice into their lives and work, regardless of whether they further develop their advocacy projects in the future.
The Project Presentation and Graduation Ceremony was not only a showcase of the participants’ achievements, but also marked a new beginning in their climate advocacy journey. Moving forward, the participants will continue to deepen their climate engagement, broaden their local and international perspectives, and bring the voices of Hong Kong youth to wider platforms in support of climate justice and a sustainable future.