California has established a new Environmental Youth Advisory Council to engage young people in state-level environmental policy following the lapse of a similar federal program. The California Environmental Protection Agency (CalEPA) announced a call for applicants aged 14 to 20 to join the council, which aims to foster leadership skills, provide opportunities to learn from environmental officials, and contribute recommendations on climate and environmental issues affecting the state.

This initiative comes after the Biden-era National Environmental Youth Advisory Council, a federal program launched in 2023 under the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was allowed to expire during the Trump administration. The federal council, which included 16 members aged 16 to 29 appointed for two-year terms, did not receive new appointments after its charter expired on June 5, 2025. EPA officials confirmed that the group ended due to the automatic expiration provision under the Federal Advisory Committee Act, which requires explicit renewal to continue operating.

California Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the importance of youth involvement in environmental decision-making, noting the state’s commitment to providing "young people a seat at the table" on climate action. The council is intended to address growing environmental challenges faced by younger generations in California, including extreme heat, wildfires, and air pollution—conditions exacerbated by climate change. According to the California Department of Finance, individuals under 20 comprise approximately 25% of the state's population, or 9.75 million residents.

Experts underscore that children and adolescents are particularly vulnerable to climate-related hazards, as their developing bodies are less able to cope with the physical and psychological impacts of environmental stressors. The UNICEF 2026 Children’s Climate Risk report highlights these heightened risks for young people globally.

The move by California to create its own youth advisory council comes amid a broader national context of environmental regulatory rollbacks under the Trump administration. These changes have included revisions to California’s clean car standards and challenges to the scientific consensus on climate change’s risks, aiming to reduce regulatory costs and lower prices for consumers.

Yana Garcia, California’s secretary for environmental protection, affirmed the agency’s stance that youth voices are essential in shaping environmental policy, stressing the need to honor diverse perspectives in decision-making processes.

Meanwhile, federal legislators including Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Rep. Maxwell Frost (D-Fla.) have introduced bills to formalize youth advisory groups across several federal departments, including the EPA, but the proposals have not progressed beyond committee stages.

CalEPA will begin its program with a one-year pilot cohort of 10 youth members, eventually expanding to 20 appointees serving two-year terms. The agency did not specify funding amounts but plans to utilize existing resources for travel and training. The program is free to applicants and is open to youth from various communities, including small towns, tribal groups, and underrepresented populations. Applications for the inaugural class are accepted through September 21.