Climate change biggest concern for young Dutch; Ban ads for meat, air travel, they say

Climate change is by far the most important issue for the young Netherlands residents who contributed to this year’s UNICEF youth advice. In a report that will be published on Monday, on Youth Budget Day, they make several proposals for change, including banning advertisements for meat, air travel, and the fossil industry.

The young people also say that they think it is important “that people understand how these products or services contribute to climate change.” They suggest paying attention to the topic at school and putting information about the climate impact of products on their packaging. For example, “how much water, energy, and feed is needed for a hamburger.”

The second piece of advice in the field of climate is making public transport more attractive. As far as young people are concerned, public transport should become cheaper, while the tax on polluting cars and scooters should increase. “Also, increase the tax on meat. With all this extra income, it may even be possible to make public transport free,” they suggest. Their third piece of advice is to “stop the consumer society,” in which many things are thrown away after one use. It is better for the environment to use refillable packaging and reuse more material.

“Many of us are concerned because we sincerely wonder whether this problem will be solved or not. Whether the government is taking it seriously enough,” the authors of the report wrote. According to the UN children’s rights organization UNICEF, more than a thousand young people aged 13 to 18 participated in writing the report. In addition to climate change, young Dutch worry about wars and poverty. For example, they argue for “more understanding of the situation of people who have fled” and believe that countries should receive good help after a war to restore their economies.

To combat poverty, the minimum wage and social assistance benefits should increase with inflation, the young people further argue. According to them, hobbies like sports or music lessons should be free. “That gives everyone the opportunity to participate, which ensures that everyone belongs.”

Today, on Youth Budget Day, a group of young people will discuss the report and their advice with Members of Parliament.