1 October 2008: The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) and the
UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) have released an
updated version of the YouthXchange Training Kit, which seeks to promote
sustainable consumption among youth worldwide. The joint initiative aims to
change purchasing patterns by reducing waste from discarded products such as
mobile phones and outdated fashion, while engaging youth in the fight against
climate change.

The new version of the training kit, revised from the previous
2002 version, includes a new chapter on how to balance aspirations of dressing
fashionably while being aware of the impact of consumption on global warming.
UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner expressed the hope that youth can
influence world politics and back the climate change agreement for the
post-2012 period, which is currently under negotiation and is expected to be
concluded in Copenhagen, Denmark, in December 2009.
He added that young people
“can play a massive part in fighting climate change while being cool and
keeping the planet cool, too.” [UN
Press Release]