Madison Reporter

Madison, WI - Mayor Satya Rhodes-Conway has announced that the city of Madison will be joining Bloomberg Philanthropies' Youth Climate Action Fund to engage young people in developing solutions for climate change. The initiative aims to empower youth to design, produce, and govern urgent climate solutions in cities worldwide.

Through the Youth Climate Action Fund, Madison will receive $50,000 to support youth-led projects aimed at tackling climate change. Mayor Rhodes-Conway expressed optimism about the impact of investing in the ideas of young people, stating, “What we’ve learned from 30 years of By Youth For Youth, is that when we invest in the ideas of young people, good things happen.”

Emilia Sáiz, Secretary General for United Cities and Local Governments, highlighted the importance of involving youth in climate action, stating, "Youth today are the guardians of our future, and in bringing them together with local governments through this groundbreaking initiative, we will see cities reach newfound progress in shaping more resilient and regenerative communities that can act on the climate emergency in entirely new ways."

James Anderson, who leads the Government Innovation program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, emphasized the need for cities to engage with young people in addressing the climate crisis, stating, "In order for cities to catalyze ever broadening, ever more ambitious efforts, they’ll need to continue to shift away from traditional, top-down models to those that solicit ideas and crowd in energy from across the community, including and especially from young people who are so vested in solving the climate crisis."

Antha Williams, who leads the Environment program at Bloomberg Philanthropies, stressed the importance of centering people in climate action, stating, "The most successful climate action centers people." Williams further highlighted the role of youth in driving progress and building resilient, sustainable cities for future generations.

The Youth Climate Action Fund, supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies, aims to mobilize young people to address the climate crisis and create more sustainable communities. Mayor Rhodes-Conway encourages residents aged 15 - 24 to learn more about the initiative and submit their ideas for funding.