Young Friends of the Earth Scotland leading the way in 2025
This has been a tough year for the climate justice movement. The rise of the far-right and resulting rollbacks of climate policy and human rights has made the future feel terrifying sometimes. But it’s not actually been all bad! The UK Government banned new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea; renewable energy overtook coal globally for the first time; conservation efforts have seen increases in the populations of Scottish wildcats, green turtles, seahorses (Dorset), and jaguars (Mexico).
2025 has also been another busy year for YFoES.
Time of Change
April saw a lot of changes in the YFoES Network. After six years in the role, we said our farewells to the former YFoES Network Coordinator, Catrina Randall, who moved on to a new role as the Friends of the Earth Scotland Just Transition Campaigner. Once again, we want to say a massive thank you to Catrina for all she did during their time as Network Coordinator!
We also got two new YFoES staff members to help with the running of the Network! Rhys Saunderson joined us as the new YFoES Network Coordinator, meanwhile Kyle Downie joined as the first ever Youth Engagement Intern.
Building the Movement
In July, Rhys headed to Budapest for the Young Friends of the Earth Europe AGM, where they got to link up with Coordinators and activists from across the continent, learn what work they are doing, and find ways for international cooperation.
Throughout September, we were hopping around from uni to uni attending Freshers Fairs. We engaged with thousands of students at Stirling, Glasgow, Strathclyde, Aberdeen and Dundee. We had so many great conversations about young people’s fears and hopes for the future, an end to new oil and gas production, the need for a circular economy, nature conservation, political system change, and what they hope to see from the next Scottish Government. It was fantastic to hear that young people still see the climate crisis as a key priority when for so many others it is falling to the back. Finding hope can often be a difficult thing, but I definitely found it at the freshers’ fairs!
Largely due to this outreach and engagement, the YFoES Network doubled in size since just April!
Learning Together
In March, we hosted two facilitation training sessions, one in Glasgow, and one in Edinburgh. Participants learned all about what it takes to be a good facilitator and got to practise their new skills in practical elements of the workshops.
We hosted our annual spring skillshare in April. Together we learned about climate justice, movement ecology, cyber security, resisting fossil fuels, mass cooking, relational skills for liberation, eco-anxiety, access and inclusion, and so much more. We also sang Gaelic songs, read poetry, ate delicious food, and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine and nature of Pitlochry in Perth. As always with YFoES skill shares, it felt wonderful to spend the weekend with like-minded young people, chatting about the work we’re all doing to create a better world.
Sadly this was our last skillshare at the Atholl Centre as the owners have sold it. However, that doesn’t mean it will be our last skillshare! Our autumn Network Gathering took place in Dunblane in November with great workshops on building solidarity, event organising, storytelling, and much more.
Activism and Campaigning
YFoES member Anna Brown gave an incredible speech at the Scotland’s Demands Better rally on October 25th about young people, migrant justice, worker’s rights, climate justice, and poverty. You can watch it below
On 15th November, over thousands of people took to the streets of Glasgow to demand climate justice. YFoES and several allied youth organisations organised the Youth Bloc which led the march, showing that young people are still leading the climate movement. We have had enough of the politicians and billionaires. We demand change, and we are that change!
Looking Forward
The next year is going to be another busy and exciting one for Young Friends of the Earth Scotland. For one thing, we will mark the 10th anniversary of YFoES. Keep an eye out for exciting events celebrating the occasion.
We’re also coming up to the Scottish Parliamentary Elections. We’ll be campaigning to ensure all who sit in the Scottish Parliament after 7th May prioritise climate justice and create an open, welcoming Scotland. If you’ll be 16 or over by May 2026, make sure you’re registered to vote.
You can also look forward to our Disabled Climate Justice Archive Project coming in early 2026. This project will create an archive of the knowledge and experiences of climate change between disabled people and their allies through creative and anti-capitalist/anti-neoliberal forms of knowledge production.
by Kyle Downie