NZ National Commission for UNESCO Youth Climate Action Event 2026

In March 2026 the New Zealand National Commission hosted a Youth Climate Action event at the National Library in Wellington. The event kicked off with a keynote from the National Commission's Special Advisor Youth, Isaac Morunga, who shared insights from the 14th UNESCO Global Youth Forum, where rangatahi from around the world explored the social impacts of climate change and issued a strong call for meaningful action. Following Isaac’s reflections, our Education Commissioner Professor Gail Gillon faciliated a panel discussion with: 🟢 Rachel Bolstad – NZCER 🟢 Andrea Soanes – Science Learning Hub 🟢 Kate Prendergast – University of Canterbury Together, they explored how global youth voices can inspire climate action here in Aotearoa New Zealand, and how these insights can support local thinking as consultations on the Draft Science Curriculum continued. The panel was followed by a Q and A session featured questions from the many rangitahi who attended the event.