Turning the Tide: Investing in Youth for Climate Resilience
View(s):While in the British Council Colombo office I often catch myself thinking about the ocean a few hundred metres away. Just a short walk, and I’d reach the vast expanse of water that covers about 70 percent of our planet. Today is World Oceans Day, and with this year’s theme – “Wonder: What Sustains Us” – that sense of fascination feels especially fitting.
They say the ocean makes up the lungs of Earth because it plays a vital role in regulating the planet’s oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. Specifically, the ocean produces a significant portion of the Earth’s oxygen and absorbs a large amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere thereby helping to slow down the rate of global warming. Unfortunately, rapid climate change is significantly impacting on ocean temperatures with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimating that more than 90% of the excess heat in the climate system has been absorbed by the ocean to date. Ocean warming and acidification are damaging marine ecosystems, upon which billions of people depend for food and livelihoods. Coastal communities are experiencing the impact of rising sea levels, biodiversity loss and climate-induced changes in weather first-hand.
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- Girls from Matara engaging in a climate action education session
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- Girls from Jaffna engaging in a climate action education session
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- British Council Sri Lanka Country Director Orlando Edwards
All of this may sound grim, but there is ample hope in our mission for urgent climate action before global warming reaches irreversible levels, which the scientific community has warned will happen should we choose to continue with business as usual. At the British Council, we see this hope reflected in young people. Our long-term investment in youth climate leaders highlights just how vital it is to empower the next generation to become climate advocates, champions, and leaders.
Youth are becoming catalysts for change by breathing fresh air into existing problems, highlighting innovative solutions and bringing dynamic energy to a longstanding fight. Young people play a vital role in helping communities become more resilient to climate change, acting as drivers of change and contributing actively to local planning efforts.
Keeping this in mind, the British Council partnered with the Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association in 2025 to raise climate change awareness among members across the island. Over 100 Girl Guides aged 12–17 took part in specially designed British Council classroom sessions, led by expert teachers and trained youth climate leaders. These sessions improved climate literacy, sparked ideas for action, and inspired hands-on field projects. Learning in English, the Guides explored climate solutions, gained confidence in presenting and public speaking, and deepened their understanding of climate change. I was especially proud of the youth climate leaders, who applied their learning from British Council programmes to mentor the next generation—Girl Guides from Colombo, Jaffna, Kandy, and Matara. We believe this initiative will help participants take a more active role in climate action in their communities.
Our partnership with the Girl Guides Association reflects our commitment to supporting women in leading climate action. While climate change affects everyone, it often deepens existing gender inequalities faced by women. By empowering girls to take on environmental leadership, we aim to help rebalance the scales and activate a vital force for community engagement.
This programme is just one of several initiatives led by the British Council in Sri Lanka, tying in with our global commitment to the climate agenda. By leveraging the trust and credibility that we have built around the world through our work, we are delivering an ambitious global portfolio to inspire and facilitate climate action. These efforts are especially aided by our non-formal education programme, which is all about creating positive pathways and opportunities for young people outside of formal learning spaces
I will end with a story about Sri Lankan marine biologist Asha De Vos Ph.D. Inspired by the National Geographic magazines that she devoured as a six-year-old, Asha studied marine biology and specialised in blue whale research. ‘Her discovery of an aggregation of blue whales and a floating pile of whale faeces off southern Sri Lanka indicated that this population did not, as all other blue whale populations do, migrate to cold waters to feed. This ground-breaking discovery highlighted, for the first time, the role of tropical ecosystems in the lives of the largest animals to ever roam our planet.’ She is now a pioneer in her field and the founder of Oceanswell (visit oceanswell.org to learn more), Sri Lanka’s first organisation dedicated to marine conservation research and education.
As we celebrate World Oceans Day today, let’s remember that even the smallest pebble can cause a ripple in the water. Small efforts today, taken by committed young changemakers, can grow into powerful initiatives that serve the world. Climate education is the first step- let organisations, educators and leaders come together to invest in tomorrow’s leaders, equipping them to protect the vast oceanic heritage of this one planet that we all call home.
This project was generously sponsored by the UK’s Blue Planet Fund. The British Council welcomes offers from corporates interested in sponsoring climate change training opportunities for young people in Sri Lanka. Please email us if you are interested in partnering, or would like to find out more: info.lk@britishcouncil.org
- Orlando Edwards
The author is the Country Director
of British Council, Sri Lanka.
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