Youth 'activate' global climate action

Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), outlined her vision for empowering the young generation.

The COP29 conference is taking place in Baku (Azerbaijan) from November 11-22. (Source: COP29)

Encouraging youth dialogue on climate

Throughout her career, Dahak has had the opportunity to meet and hear the views of young people from around the world on issues such as climate leadership, education and diplomacy. Meetings with students in Japan in particular have made her reflect on how the UAE and Japan are prioritizing the voices of their younger generations. Both countries have a special respect for their elders and a desire to empower young people to give them a better future.

For many young climate leaders, building resilience is not a distant goal but an urgent reality right now, said Dahak. The drive, energy and passion of young people are vital to igniting global climate action and offering new perspectives on this complex challenge.

Voices seeking to drive progress gathered at COP28, the 2023 Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Dubai, including the business, civil society, youth and indigenous communities, creating an unprecedented forum for open dialogue.

Ms. Amna bint Abdullah Al Dahak, Minister of Climate Change and Environment of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), affirmed that it is necessary to ensure the extensive participation of young people in international climate diplomacy. (Source: Reuters)

As the world looks ahead to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, from 11-22 November, Dahak said it is important to ensure the broad engagement of young people in international climate diplomacy. Their unique priorities, aspirations and perspectives should be “on the table” when world leaders come together to push for climate action.

The establishment of the Youth Climate Champion (YCC) programme at COP28 is a testament to our shared vision to diversify the world’s largest climate change event. The YCC aims to amplify the voices of youth-led and youth-focused organisations in global climate diplomacy, and to help world leaders recognise the challenges facing young people today.

Ms. Dahak affirmed that, ahead of COP29, YCC needs to continue to act as a bridge between the conference leadership and young people. Above all, the YCC’s action agenda needs to go beyond the UN climate negotiations, ensuring youth participation in major events such as Asia-Pacific Climate Week, New York Climate Week (NYC)...

These platforms play a vital role in ensuring that the perspectives of young people from communities heavily impacted by climate change, including Japan, are at the centre of the global conversation. This contributes to building capacity and creating opportunities for young leaders to take initiatives to address the climate challenge.

Creating a platform for young climate leaders to network and share experiences is key to fostering innovation, especially in vulnerable communities.

New wind, new revolution

To broaden the participation of young people from underrepresented groups, the COP28 President launched the International Youth Climate Delegates Programme (IYCDP), empowering young people from least developed countries and small island states. This is the largest initiative to date to broaden the participation of young people in international climate diplomacy.

In particular, in Asia, IYCDP brings together young climate leaders from Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia, discussing areas such as increasing the participation of small businesses in the green energy transition, strengthening emergency responses to natural disasters. IYCDP helps young climate leaders share their perspectives, creating momentum to promote global climate resilience.

Prior to becoming the UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, Ms. Dahak worked at the Ministry of Education, exploring opportunities to promote global education for young people and build capacity for climate action. According to Ms. Dahak, true innovation comes from bringing diverse platforms together to exchange experiences and knowledge. Therefore, to realize this vision, it is necessary to promote bilateral and multilateral cooperation, as well as strengthen comprehensive cooperation on many fronts.

Young people are taking the lead in pushing for climate action every day. (Source: COP28)

In early 2024, Ms. Dahak met with former Japanese Agriculture Minister Tetsushi Sakamoto to discuss how the two countries can strengthen bilateral cooperation in food security and marine conservation.

While the UAE and Japan have very different climates and environments, both are focused on building long-term resilience through innovation and technology. Knowledge exchange in areas such as precision agriculture, smart greenhouses and biotechnology has yielded impressive results.

As the world heads towards COP29, global initiatives such as the Agricultural Innovation Mission for Climate (AIM for Climate) and the Mangroves for Climate Alliance will play a key role in strengthening cooperation and empowering young people to continue to explore and innovate.

Young people are leading the way in climate action, Dahak stressed. More than ever, leaders need to continue to raise their voices, influence and empower young people to build a more resilient and optimistic future.

In conclusion, the presence of the youth in climate diplomacy is not only an urgent need but also a key factor in achieving global sustainability goals. Youth engagement initiatives need to be further developed, creating space and opportunities for young people to raise their voices on climate change.

With their enthusiasm, creativity and ability to apply technology, the young generation is expected to play an important role in shaping the green future of humanity. To achieve this, there needs to be close coordination between governments, international organizations and communities; building support mechanisms, encouraging young people to participate in global dialogue and action on climate.

Source: https://baoquocte.vn/gioi-tre-kich-hoat-hanh-dong-khi-hau-toan-cau-293755.html