27 Junior and Senior High School Students from Across Japan Propose Environmental Policies Co-created with India at "Youth Policy Action Summit" Held on July 11

"Junior and Senior High School Students from Across Japan Think About Future Environmental Policies Together with the World"

General Incorporated Association Glocal Solutions from Classroom (GSC, Representative Director: Saori Imaizumi) will hold the "Youth Policy Action Summit 2026" on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at the United Nations University Centre for Regionalстью and Global Partnerships (GEOC).

Twenty-seven junior and senior high school students (Miyagi, Gunma, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba, Kyoto, Osaka, Tottori, Kagawa, Fukuoka) gathered from Tohoku, Kanto, Kansai, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu participated. For approximately six weeks from June 5, they learned about policy formation in Japan, the United States, and the United Nations, and jointly considered environmental policies through online collaboration with high school students from Japan and India.

At the summit on July 11, peers who have learned and dialogued online will meet in person for the first time to present policy proposals on six themes.

27 Junior and Senior High School Students Participate from Across Japan

Why High School Students Learn About Environmental Policy

Young people who will live in society in the future will be the ones most affected by climate change and environmental problems for the longest time.

On the other hand, in Japan, there are still few opportunities for junior and senior high school students to discuss global issues with their peers overseas and make proposals to society in the form of policy.

GSC aims to foster young people who can learn "policy" as a practical tool for changing society, grasp global issues such as environmental problems from a macro perspective, and create solutions while collaborating with people from diverse backgrounds.

The objective of this program is to nurture next-generation leaders who can participate in international policy formation and rule-making in the future.

The Potential of Japan Felt at the World Bank

Representative Saori Imaizumi has been involved in education and higher education reform in Africa and South Asia at the World Bank for 13 years.

What she felt during that time was that while Japan possesses research, education, human resources, and technology that it can be proud of to the world, there are insufficient human resources and opportunities to disseminate these globally and connect them to international problem-solving and rule-making.

While at the World Bank, she launched an industry-academia collaboration program connecting universities and companies in Japan and Africa, promoting research exchange and human resource development. From that experience, she realized, "Having good things alone will not spread to the world. It is important to foster human resources who can collaborate with the world, communicate on their own, and engage in dialogue in the international community."

Furthermore, she has heard many voices from university students and young working professionals saying, "I wish I had participated in a program like this when I was in high school."

This program was born from the desire to provide opportunities for high school students, who are beginning to think about their future paths, to meet peers from around the world, confront social issues, and broaden their own potential.

Six Themes Tackled by High School Students from Japan and India

For approximately three weeks, high school students from Japan and India formed mixed teams and discussed the following six themes. The students realized through their discussions that even with the same themes like "climate change" or "food loss," the impact on daily life and the priority of issues differ between Japan and India. The experience of jointly considering policies while understanding different perspectives and values is a learning that cannot be obtained from textbooks alone.

Students from Japan and the US Learn Policy Making Through Online Lectures and Co-create Policies

1. Climate Change and Disaster Prevention

Adaptation and resilience to disasters caused by climate change, such as heatwaves, heavy rain, and floods.

2. Waste and Circular Economy

Waste problems, plastic reduction, recycling, and a circular society.

3. Sustainable Fashion and Consumption

Fast fashion, mass consumption, and ethical consumption.

4. Food Systems and Food Loss

Food loss, sustainable agriculture, and food security.

5. Environmental Governance and International Cooperation

United Nations, COP, Japan-India cooperation, and international equity.

6. Environmental Education and Youth Political Participation

School education, climate education, youth behavioral change, and policy participation.

Youth Policy Action Summit 2026

The summit will feature:

Policy proposal presentations by junior and senior high school students from Japan and India.

A keynote speech by Francisco Vera, a 16-year-old environmental activist from Colombia (online).

A lecture by a university student who participated in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) 30 as a representative of the United Nations University (online).

Feedback on policies from experts.

Networking among participants gathered from across the country.

Francisco Vera, selected as a UN Climate Change Youth Representative and EU Goodwill Ambassador, explains how he launched the Youth Group at COP.

To Members of the Press

At this summit, junior and senior high school students from across Japan will present environmental policies co-created with their peers from Japan and India over approximately three weeks.

We invite you to cover the young people who are considering climate change and environmental issues as their own concerns, and who are envisioning the future while dialoguing with peers from diverse cultures and values.

In addition to lectures, policy proposal presentations, and networking sessions, we will also accommodate interviews with the representative and participating students, as well as photo and video recording.

Coverage of online sessions during the program period can also be discussed.

Media coverage requires advance registration. Those wishing to cover the event are requested to contact the inquiry contact below in advance. We will provide individual guidance on venue details, available coverage times, permissible filming areas, and whether interviews with participating students are possible.