Address by Krishneil Narayan, PSP International Co-Director, at the ‘UNFCCC Inter-generational Inquiry’ Plenary along-side UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres on the panel at COP16 in Cancun, Mexico
Cancun Messe. UN COP16 Climate Change Negotiations 2nd December, 2010 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Good Afternoon
From Poznan to Mexico, the global youth have asked all countries to commit to a global climate treaty that ‘safeguards the survival of all countries and peoples of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations including those in the Small Island States and the Least Developed Countries, who are also the least responsible for causing the problem.
I come from the Pacific Islands where we are already battling with the harsh impacts of climate change. We youth in the Pacific are very concerned about our future in those islands and instead of sitting around debating on the technicalities & texts in square brackets like our lovely politicians did in Copenhagen last year, we are actually “Getting to Work”.
The youth leaders in the Pacific have collaborated with each other and with our respective government departments, regional NGO’s, and Diplomatic missions to start community based climate adaptation programs. An amazing example is the ‘Pacific Climate Leadership Program’, the first of such program in the Pacific region that I co-founded with youths from Fiji early this year.
Climate change needs a collective solution, thus through our collaborations with the pacific stakeholders we are now able to provide leadership trainings not only to youths but also women and men from all ages who go on to manage community based adaptation programs that we start with them now in 6 Pacific Island countries.
What are Youth expectations from this negotiation process?
- A fair & just agreement that incorporates 1.5degrees or less as a target
- A move towards a zero emissions pathway
- Fast track of new and additional funds that is separate from existing development assistance.
- A safe future that is able to ensure the needs of the generations to come
- Inclusion of youth involvement in the process and ensuring that the youth voices are not excluded from this very important process.
Today, as we mark Young & Future Generations Day here at COP16, we youth of the world we again call for a sustainable future in which sustained global cooperation safeguards our planet from the perils of climate change. I’d like to say that the youth, still have faith in this process; we are going to continue working with this process and we are not going to give up on it.
We will keep engaging with you to find solutions to climate change using all the means we can. After-all we are the youth and you are deciding our present as well as our future.
Gracias
