Investing in Gen Z for a sustainable future

THE next generations, Gen Z and Gen Alpha, are dubbed the anxious generations, for good reasons perhaps – the future burden of today’s headlines falls on their shoulders. But look beyond the hype around their mental health issues and instead talk to the new graduates who are working on groundbreaking projects on behalf of governments, companies, and charities. It’s not just anxiety that is driving them to make a significant difference. It’s hope.

World Cities Day, on Oct 31, commemorates the United Nation’s ambition to reduce inequality in cities. Urban environments offer access to greater opportunities and services, but are also home to the starkest representations of inequality in the world. Natural disasters highlight and exacerbate this inequality when access to basic resources is threatened.

The theme of 2024’s World Cities Day is “Youth leading climate and local action”. It calls for local governments to invest in youth programmes that accelerate youth empowerment and education in designing and future-proofing urban environments.