Young people demand action at COP26

Young climate leaders came together in Glasgow today with negotiators, officials and ministers from across the world to demand climate action. 

The day was co-chaired by YOUNGO, the Official Children’s Youth and constituency of the UNFCCC which opened with a session called Unifying for Change: Global Youth voice at COP26. 

YOUNGO Global Focal Points, Heeta Lakhani and Marie-Claire Graf said: ‘YOUNGO has been working closely with the U.K. Presidency and the UNFCCC Secretariat to co-design Youth and Public Empowerment Day.

‘We successfully profiled global youth voices through the COY16 Global Youth Statement, and brought together four generations to share best practice examples of achieving climate justice collectively.’

Ending the day, COP26 President, Alok Sharma and Italian Minister of Ecological Transition, Roberto Cingolani will join young people and Ministers to discuss the manifesto developed by 400 young people at the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition Summit held in Milan in September.

COP26 President Alok Sharma said: ‘Wherever I have been in the world, I have been struck by the passion and the commitment of young people to climate action. The voices of young people must be heard and reflected in these negotiations here at COP. The actions and scrutiny of young people are key to us keeping 1.5 alive and creating a net-zero future. 

‘I am also aware of the fear and anxiety many of them feel about the future of the planet, including my own children. That is why we must act on the COY16 Global Youth Position Statement from COY16 and the manifesto from the Milan Youth4Climate Summit.’

At the same time as the negotiations, thousands of protestors also took to the streets as part of the ‘FridaysforFuture’ movement. 

The protestors were led by Greta Thunberg and took to the streets to demand ‘climate justice now.’