World Wildlife Fund

Meet the US Ambassadors of Change: John Monaghan and Ben Wessel 

 Voyage for the Future:
Youth Observations on
Climate Change

In June 2008, 18 students from nine countries around the world - Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Russia, Sweden, the UK, Japan, and the United States - joined WWF on the "Voyage for the Future." This 10-day boat trip in the Arctic - launching from Svalbard, Norway - allowed young people around the world to become the fresh new voices and ambassadors for the future.  While in Norway, participants learned about global climate change from experts in the field, take part in on-shore research activities, and receive communications and media training. The group sailed along the west coast of Svalbard on board the former research vessel MS Aleksey Maryshev, made land excursions and visited research stations. 

During this trip, participating students became "Ambassadors of Change" so that they became effective advocates for climate change action on their campuses and in their communities and countries. Now home, students are working with WWF to deliver the message for urgent action on this issue. 

• View Introduction Video on Voyage for the Future
• View a Detailed Itinerary of the Trip

“These young people will witness unprecedented change because of the already locked-in effects of climate change,” said Dr. Neil Hamilton from WWF’s Arctic Programme. “If we do not act quickly the next generation will face a different world. It is time for everyone to protect the future of the younger generation by calling on governments from around the world to take action.”

• View Video Interview with Dr. Neil Hamilton

Through a number of activities, students left the program with a wealth of new knowledge of climate change, its effects and potential solutions, including

• The mechanisms and science of climate change
• The effects of global warming on and in the Arctic, Arctic feedback mechanisms, tipping points and reciprocal effects to the rest of the world and what this could mean for their home countries
• Standpoints and solutions that WWF has on climate change at both the local and international levels
• The growing interests in the Arctic of governments and businesses (oil and gas extraction, fishery, shipping routes) and the inherit risks that come with these new interests
• The effects on and roles of Arctic indigenous people with respect to the above
• How politicians and business leaders take decisions and what determines the reasons for these decisions
• What happens at the G8 Summits, COP (Conference of Parties) meetings, and what the Kyoto Protocol is
• How to effectively communicate with target audiences (peers, media, politicians and business leaders) in an inspiring yet authentic manner and how to use the internet in gaining support with peers.

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Learn more about WWF's work in the Arctic.

Read publications on WWF's work in the Arctic.

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