Giulia Camilla Braga
Program Manager, Connect4Climate The World Bank
The youth climate movement has become the face of global climate action.
For the first time in the history of UN climate negotiations, the Pre-COP26 meetings hosted by Italy opened with an intergenerational roundtable between ministers and young climate leaders. Youth delegates from around the world presented the demands, asks and ambitions they had formulated over the course of the preceding Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition summit — and decision-makers listened. COP26 President Alok Sharma promised: “We will ensure your views are heard loud and clear” in Glasgow.
Youth driving ambition
For years, youth have been calling on their governments to ramp up ambition and this message was central at COP26. Connect4Climate has been supporting and amplifying the Youth4Climate movement for over a decade and 2021 marked a new chapter. The work has shifted from elevating youth stories through competitions and the arts to connecting young people with policymakers through events and fora to creating spaces where youth can work together to develop tangible solutions and recommendations.
For years, youth have been calling on their governments to ramp up ambition and this message was central at COP26.
More than climate activists
Young people are tired of being called “inspirational.” The youth that gathered in Milan for the Youth4Climate summit are not just climate activists; they are engineers, economists, community organisers, poets, scientists, as well as students at university and some even in high school. Together they drafted the Youth4Climate Manifesto, which calls on governments, institutions, and non-state actors to take urgent action rooted in climate justice — not just in broad terms but with specific recommendations. As one delegate said, “These are concrete proposals based on science, experiences, and aspirations from 400 young voices from all over the globe.”
Young people presented the Manifesto to leaders at COP26, but it is not meant solely for those sitting in negotiating rooms. There is something for everyone to act on; all companies, institutions, creatives, and decision-makers at the national and local levels are encouraged to look through this important document for proposals that can be taken on board.
From words to action
Young people are telling us loud and clear what needs to be done. It is now a question of enablement: how do we do more than just give youth a seat at the table? It’s time to make them an integral part of every decision-making process and to give them the resources necessary to implement climate solutions in their communities. This is not a time to stand on the side lines; Connect4Climate is dedicated to building a liveable future and helping youth lead the way.