Two prominent Burundian youth who attended COP 27 have pledged on youth day for world leaders to consider inviting younger generation in talks as far as climate breakthrough is concerned as they are the future
“Youth aged between 18 and 24 are the most threatened by the effected of climate change which should center them at the heart of talks and negotiation,” said Delphin Kaze, Burundi entrepreneur Chief Executive Director of Kaze Green Economy (KAGE).
For him, youth especially in Burundi are investing in environment protection projects nationwide including recycling, plastics collection, green projects that produce friendly charcoal, and greening the country via afforestation.
As for Jadot Nkurunziza an environmental advocate and activists, who attended COP26 now attending COP27, said that the failure to include younger generation in talks hinders their innovative projects.
“Our elders need to support us in the fight against climate change, but how will it happen if we are excluded in roundtable discussions;” asked himself.
Jadot added when looking around the main sufferer from ecological pattern distrubances are mostly youth as socio-economic development remain stranded.
On the youth day, young people called on world leaders attending COP27 to scale up financial support for communities, including women, children, and young people who are particularly vulnerable to the harsh reality of extreme climate disasters.
As the impact of climate change intensifies, centering young people in the national and global discourse on climate change is critical to ensuring that young people are no longer excluded from decision-making and are not shut out from the debate.
With a global estimate of 1.8 billion young people* aged 10 -24, this generation of youth is the largest in history. ActionAid calls on governments to champion and support young climate activists as valuable agents of climate change.
Young people, particularly those in the sub Saharan, are disproportionately affected by climate change. As a result of extreme weather conditions, including droughts, tropical cyclones, and floods, they are facing high levels of unemployment, school closures, and extreme poverty.
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 Pavillion.
“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.
#COP27 | Youth & Future Generations
This thematic day was a stellar representation of how when our world’s youth have a seat at the table, positive change can happen. We owe it to the young and future generations, their future and their home planet.https://t.co/iXum0UQ8gR pic.twitter.com/e2jJ2ON3m5
— COP27 (@COP27P) November 10, 2022
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 1stever Youth led-climate forum and aiming at removing some of the barriers that normally affect meaningful participation of young people at COPs.
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.
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.
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.
This article has been published with support from MESHA/IDRC grant for coverage of COP-27 by African science journalists
