The problem
Young people face the daily effects of the climate crisis, but they often lack access to clear, accurate information about these issues. Misinformation makes it harder for them to understand what’s happening or share their ideas on creating a sustainable future.
Goals
Comics Journalism addresses this by helping teenagers explore climate challenges and express their thoughts through comics, a creative and easy-to-access medium.
The initiative aimed to:
- Improve understanding of climate change and fight misinformation.
- Teach teenagers critical thinking and storytelling by combining journalism with comics.
- Give young people a way to share their experiences and solutions for climate issues in their city.
Approach
The program included two months of workshops for two groups of teenagers: students from a local school and young participants from the Greek Network for Children’s Rights. The workshops integrated journalism with the art of comic, guiding 30 teenagers to learn how to act as journalists by researching and exploring how climate change affects Athens.
They then turned their findings into comic stories, sharing their ideas, worries, and solutions for a sustainable future. The workshops taught both investigative and creative skills, encouraging teens to see themselves as problem-solvers for their city’s environmental issues. The project was supported by the Youth Climate Action Fund and the Municipality of Athens, tying it to larger efforts to involve young people in climate solutions.
Features
The most significant outcome of the project was the creation of original comic stories by the participants, which captured their unique perspectives on climate change.
These stories were compiled into a digital booklet, which showcases the participants’ work and documents the project’s approach, offering a guide for others to replicate it. The booklet was disseminated to a network of 100 partners (schools and NGOs) with the aim to share the main idea and inspire them to implement it within their communities.
Lessons learned
Empowering young people to express their perspectives through creative mediums like comics proved to be an effective way to engage them in climate issues.
Find out more: https://athenscomicslibrary.gr/
What you can do
Create Your Own Comic! There are many online fun tools to share your ideas or experiences about climate challenges in your community through comics.