Youth Urge Climate Action at COP25
Youth demanded climate action and celebrated Young and Future Generations Day at the UN Climate Change Conference COP25 in Madrid on Wednesday.
Among the main topics discussed was how young people can lead climate action and accelerate implementation of the Paris Agreement.
Addressing youth during the annual COP thematic youth day, designed to showcase youth climate empowerment with youth-led events, workshops and activities, UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Ms. Patricia Espinosa highlighted the key role of youth in spurring global climate action.
“Youth has played an enormous role, a fantastic role, throughout this year in order to raise awareness, in order to impress the need to take action urgently,” said Ms. Espinosa. “I want to recognize all of you, all of your voices. Each individual voice counts in making this possible.”
The highlight event of Young and Future Generations Day brought together young leaders and decision makers to discuss raising ambition and empowering youth to implement the Paris Agreement.
During an interactive round table, participants also discussed how to foster intergenerational cooperation in the review and implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement.
A feature presentation of the event showcased results from the Conference of Youth (COY 15) held before COP 25, from 29 November to 1 December. The COY aims to facilitate the exchange of knowledge and experience between young leaders from different countries and to provide them capacity-building and training for their participation at COP.
For one of the young leaders taking part, Chiagozie Udeh, 2019 was the year of youth engagement: “Young people have proven this year that we are action, that we are working, and that we can mobilize to communicate the science that scientists have been struggling for over 30 years to pass on to governments,” said Mr. Udeh. “We have done a lot in terms of mobilization, in terms of awareness, in terms of providing concrete solutions.”