Dialogos

Youth and Climate Crisis: Lack of Participation Due to Feeling Politically Invisible

Published January 12, 2026, 19:01
Youth and Climate Crisis: Lack of Participation Due to Feeling Politically Invisible

A new study by AKTI, ELKETHE, and Nature Trust FEE Malta, within the framework of the European RESIsles project, reveals that young people feel "politically invisible" and therefore do not actively participate in public dialogue on the climate crisis. The research was based on quantitative and qualitative studies with 381 citizens from Cyprus, Malta, and Crete, through local events and workshops. Although young people are more informed about climate change than previous generations, their absence from the dialogue is due to systemic barriers and the feeling that their voices are not being heard. The research demonstrates strong distrust towards institutions, as young people associate the lack of results with the ineffectiveness of the state. Furthermore, social and economic fatigue, combined with the excessive use of social media, absorbs the time and energy of young people, limiting collective action. Finally, the lack of appropriate infrastructure for the green transition (recycling, public transport) and the difficulty of accessing information and participation mechanisms are significant obstacles.