The International Center for Research and Policy on Childhood at PUC-Rio University (CIESPI/PUC-Rio), in partnership with the International and Canadian Child Rights Partnership (ICCRP/Toronto Metropolitan University), is developing the case study Youth for climate justice in Brazil. Starting in June 2025 to December 2026, its objective is to expand climate change awareness through the production of intergenerational materials. These materials derive from the CIESPI research "Young People and Climate Change in Brazil", enriched with other national and international environmental data. We also aim to develop a strategic plan for reaching different age groups, increasing engagement among adolescents, young adults, and adults and contribute to the public debate on the topic.
The team is composed of: Irene Rizzini (coordination), Renata Brasil (researcher), Caroline Araujo and Elisa Azevedo (research assistants), Liriel Farias, Lorena Nascimento and Yasmin de Araújo (interns - youth activists).
To date, the team has completed the following:
1. Interactive reference guide (online)
The reference guide organizes videos, podcasts, social media pages and websites, as well as other documents, which address the topic of climate change in a friendly way, likely to sparkthe interest of young audiences.
2. Awareness campaigns (online)
The campaign includes 5 quizzes with 7 Q&As about climate change. Launched every 2 days on Instagram, it aims to disseminate the material produced by the case study team to different young audiences.
3. Card (printed)
These cards disseminate the team's productions on the CIESPI/PUC-Rio website.
4. Folder (printed)
The goal is to encourage adolescents and young people to learn about climate change and act for climate justice.
5. Eco-friendly picnic (in-person activity – September 19 2025)
The picnic occurred at the school Escritor Bartolomeu Campos de Queirós located in the Maré Complex (city of Rio de Janeiro). The 1.5-hour event, attended by approximately 35 students (ages 12 and older), included an outdoor picnic (with healthy food) and a storytelling session related to nature, sustainability, and imagination.
6. Recyclable Toys (in-person activity)
This activity involved making of 5 toys to be distributed in the school where the activity above was carried out (designed by the CIESPI team).
7. Video Series (online)
The series of 6 videos for online dissemination, each approximately 1 minute long, address the theme Youth and Climate Change in Brazil.
8. Focus group with members of the collective Struggle, Accessibility, and Inclusion (LAI) - (in-person activity – October 16th + online product)
The goal was to record the experiences of people with disabilities or who were neurodivergent from the collective LAI regarding their perceptions on the effects of climate change. The effort involves collecting testimonies from up to five participants to produce five short testimonials (reels format) with approximately 3 minutes in which stakeholders can address key aspects. It will be disseminated on the CIESPI/PUC-Rio website and social media (once per week) in the next weeks.
Activities and products under development:
1. Conversation Circle (in-person activity – October 29nd)
Entitled "Climate at Stake", the activity will be held at the school Madre Teresa de Calcutá, located in the neighbourhood of Realengo, city of Rio de Janeiro. It will involve approximately 60 students (aged 15 and under) and will last 1.5 hours. Activities will include: an opening session, a discussion with thought-provoking questions, the creation of an affective map of the territory, a creative intervention, and a closing session with a call to action.
2. Music and art event (in-person activity – first semester 2026)
Activity still under discussion.