PRESS RELEASE : COP27 Youth and Future Generation Day Ensures Younger Voices Have Seat at the Table [November 2022]

The press release issued by COP27 on 10 November 2022.

COP27 makes history with first-ever Youth-led Climate Forum, Children and Youth Pavilion at COP and Youth Envoy

Young representatives from the Conference of the Youth present the Global Youth Statement, underlining key policy asks

Young Africa session reveals adaptation and funding as priorities for continent’s youth

Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, 10 November 2022 – Ensuring that the voices of the young and future generation are heard is one of the key areas of focus of the COP27 Presidency, and the COP27 Youth and Future Generation Day sought to ensure that young people be part of the conversation.

The day kicked-off with an opening ceremony of the thematic day and youth-led climate forum, which brought together high-level policymakers with young representatives from the Conference of the Youth (COY17) to present the Global Youth Statement and underline the key policy asks compiled by the world’s youth for inclusion in the COP27 discussions and outcomes and drive climate ambition and implementation. Opening ceremony was attended by Ashraf Sobhy Minister of Youth and Sports of Egypt, Dr Yasmin Fouad Minister of Environment of Egypt, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Steill, High Level Climate Champion Mahmoud Mohie Eldin and senior representatives of the COP27 Presidency Team.

Youth represented their key demands that paid specific attention to: Action for Climate Empowerment, Adaptation and Resilience and Accessible Finance that were determined during COY17 which convened over 1,000 young people from more than 140 countries before the official opening of COP27, and following several rich local, national and regional conferences of youth.

“The impacts of climate change have significant effects on the health, nutrition, education and the future of young people, meanwhile youth stands to be the most impacted by the decisions we take at the climate process. Thus, they should be considered a natural ally and partner in driving climate action ,” said COP27 President H.E. Sameh Shoukry during his recent visit to the Children and Youth Pavilion. “Ensuring that the youth are represented and have a seat at the table is of absolute importance as it is their future lives and livelihoods that are directly impacted with the implementation of climate commitments” H.E. Shoukry added.

The COP27 Presidency has previously announced a number of steps pursuant to its commitment to ensuring the voices of youth and future generations are included by hosting the first ever Children and Youth Pavilion at a COP, the introduction of a Youth Envoy to the process, supporting COY17, launching the 1st ever Youth led-climate forum and aiming at removing some of the barriers that normally affect meaningful participation of young people at COPs.

Several sessions on Youth and Future Generation Day were programmed around providing an intergenerational platform for direct interaction between policymakers and representatives of the generation who will see the long-term effects of those policies in action decades from now.

With 200 million people aged 15 to 24, Africa has the largest population of young people in the world and the fastest growing youth population in the world. It is also the only region where the population of youth is increasing. The Young Africa session kicked off with results of a survey that was done with over 200 African youth, and showcased impressive youth-led solutions from Egypt and the rest of the continent. Critical to the continent realizing its sustainable development goals, the Young Africa session saw African youth experts, entrepreneurs and solution makers present their innovative activities and grassroots initiatives for climate adaptation and mitigation. The results showed that 64% found adaptation as a critical priority that needs to be addressed at COP this year, 84 percent would like to see ‘supporting funding for youth’ as a solution to their concerns. During the session, African youth experts, start-ups and entrepreneurs presented their grassroots initiatives for climate adaptation and mitigation in addition to innovative solutions using systematic and cross cutting approaches that tackle local challenges.

The impacts of climate change have significant effects on the health, nutrition, education and the future of children, adolescents and youth, who are the most vulnerable to extreme weather events, toxic chemicals, temperature changes and eco-anxiety. The session addressed the role of climate education for adolescents and children and its role in strengthening climate action and resilience of communities.

In the different sessions and functions, youth participants underlined the interrelationship between climate change and enjoyment of human rights by young people and the role of youth as a catalyst for ambition and climate justice and accountability. It was noted also that youth perspectives and needs should be effectively integrated in the design and implementation of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). The discussions reflected the strong support by youth to establishing a financial mechanism focused on loss and damage, further movement towards just transition, and also for local adaptation and resilience solutions that are responsive to the needs of vulnerable communities. Quality education and green decent jobs were a cross cutting element in several discussions.

The COP27 Youth and Future Generation Day also helped to widen the narrative around Africa as a hub of opportunities and innovative solutions, and highlighted how youth are collaboratively driving action and change, including climate justice and intergenerational equity.

Through discussions throughout the day, challenges were highlighted creating a focus on what needs to be done to elevate the work led by youth to adapt to the climate crisis and enhance their potential in mitigating it.