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Council establishes Youth Climate Council with modest stipends and advisory role
Summary
Bill 26-66 creates a 17-member Youth Climate Council to advise the mayor, council and DOEE on climate and environmental policy; the council approved placement on the consent agenda and sponsors noted FY26 costs (about $132,000) and $545,000 over four years.
The D.C. Council voted to place Bill 26-66, which establishes a Youth Climate Council (YCC), on the consent agenda after committee approval and floor discussion on Oct. 7.
Council Member Charles Allen, lead sponsor, said the YCC will give young people a formal advisory role on climate mitigation, adaptation, environmental conservation and green workforce development. The council will have 17 members — nine appointed by the mayor and eight appointed by ward council members — and must reflect the District’s diversity and include youth from communities most affected by environmental inequities (the bill specifically cites wards 5, 7 and 8).
Allen noted that the measure authorizes modest stipends to enable broad participation; the committee cited an FY26 impact of about $132,000 and $545,000 over the four‑year financial plan. The bill allows the YCC to propose initiatives, collaborate with peers and appear before the committee once a year.
Sponsors framed the YCC as a way to center youth perspectives on policy that will affect them and to build intergenerational leadership. The bill was approved for placement on the legislative meeting’s consent agenda and will appear on the council’s legislative calendar for final action.
