Environment appeals to youth as popular form of civic engagement — report

AMMAN — There is a growing awareness of climate change accompanied by a sense of duty among Jordanian youth, according to the “Youth in Jordan” report, published by the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES) in March 2023.

The report is based on the results of the FES MENA Youth Study. It was conducted between September and November 2021, featuring the responses of 1,047 Jordanians, aged 16 to 30 years.

 The survey’s report on Jordan noted a “low level of trust” in the government and a lack of interest in political work. It showed that 71 per cent of males and 76 per cent of females stated that they are not interested in politics at all. 

However, “there’s clearly a growing awareness of and sense of civic duty regarding climate change” among Jordanian youth, according to the report.

It cited “working towards a cleaner environment” as the second most popular form of civic engagement among youth, preceded by helping poor and vulnerable people. 

“[T]he climate emergency in Jordan is at the forefront of the younger generation’s minds. While to many it seems like a hopeless endeavour, youth are eager to advocate for climate change solutions,” the report stated. 

It also showed that 71 per cent of males and 73 per cent of females said that they have personally witnessed and experienced the effects of climate change, and over 65 per cent of male and female respondents expressed worry about the environment. 

But only 27 per cent of males and 23 per cent of females would consider participating in climate demonstrations. The majority of young people view that participating in elections is the best way to advance a cause, “such as introducing new laws to combat climate change”, the report stated. 

These findings indicate that although youth are overall concerned about climate change, many don’t feel “empowered” to take action, according to the report.

 However, the report noted that there’s “a strong potential” for increased engagement in the future, as recent years have witnessed an increase in the number of climate-focused initiatives and organisations, including some that are youth-targeted and youth-run.