Nicosia, Cyprus. New research by the Cypriot NGO AKTI Project and Research Centre found young people are withdrawing from public dialogue not out of indifference, but because they feel politically invisible. The study was conducted under the European project RESIsles with the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research and Nature Trust FEE Malta.
Research scope and methodology
Using climate change as a lens to examine democratic participation, the RESIsles project engaged more than 3,500 young people across Cyprus, Malta and Crete. From this wider outreach, 381 participated in targeted quantitative and qualitative research activities through local events, co-creation cafés and workshops.
Findings on climate awareness and democratic withdrawal
In a statement, AKTI said today’s young people are more aware of the climate crisis than any previous generation, having grown up with heatwaves, floods, live broadcasts of wildfires, images of melting ice, and a persistent sense of insecurity about the future. AKTI added that as the crisis becomes increasingly urgent, young people continue to withdraw from democratic dialogue.
Political invisibility cited as key driver
The research examined reasons for this withdrawal, particularly in climate change discussions, and pointed to systemic and structural barriers rather than individual apathy. Insights from six co-creation cafés held as part of RESIsles found that a sense of political invisibility was the most significant factor driving non-participation.
Across the three countries, young people reported feeling excluded from decision-making and believing their contributions do not count. The research said this feeling of not being heard fosters frustration and can lead to political inactivity. AKTI said: “When participation does not produce visible results, it turns into fatigue and, eventually, abstention.”
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