World Scouting launches Earth Tribe as new education initiative for environmental action

World Scouting today announced the launch of the Earth Tribe, a new educational initiative that unites young people in a global youth movement for environmental action. The new initiative focuses on developing the key competencies needed to enable young people to become environmental leaders. 

The Earth Tribe will be offered as a complementary component of Scouting’s Youth Programme, replacing the long-standing World Scout Environment Programme, and is part of a wider collective mobilization through Scouts for SDGs to engage young people in making the world’s largest youth contribution towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). 

As members of the Earth Tribe, young people can develop the skills and leadership to better understand their personal impact on the environment, and take action in their communities to tackle climate change, promote sustainable consumption, and connect with nature. 

The launch of the new initiative, which coincides with World Environment Day, comes at a time when the world is dealing with the severe impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. This global health crisis is a stark reminder of the urgency to tackle global challenges in a timely and coordinated manner. In the spirit of urgency and global citizenship, the Earth Tribe initiative recognises the critical impact that human activity has on nature, and how young people as global citizens can play an active role in being champions and advocates for environmental action. 

The Earth Tribe offers a self-progressive educational journey that young people can experience through a series of exciting Earth Tribe Challenges that address how to reverse the loss of nature and biodiversity, change personal consumption habits, fight plastic pollution, advocate for clean energy solutions, and more. Among the first Challenges to be featured as part of the Earth Tribe are the Champions for Nature Challenge designed in partnership with WWF, the Tide Turners Plastic Challenge designed in partnership with UN Environment, and the Scouts Go Solar Challenge designed in partnership with Solafrica. 

As the Earth Tribe continues to grow as a platform for environmental action, more Challenges and gamification elements involving partners will be featured in the initiative, providing even more opportunities for young people to earn recognition badges and become champions for sustainability.

The design of the new Earth Tribe initiative is the result of extensive input and consultation from some of the world’s leading environmental organisations, including WWF and UN Environment, and contributions from youth, educational experts, volunteers and National Scout Organizations from across the Scout Movement.