We are excited to announce that YOTA is empowering some selected youth climate advocates from West Africa to amplify their voices at the Conference of the Parties – COP29 happening in Baku, Azerbaijan from Nov 11 – Nov 22, 2024. This initiative provides a unique platform for these young leaders to actively engage in global climate negotiations, shaping policies that address the environmental challenges of our time while advocating for the inclusion of youth in solutions for sustainability.
The selected youth advocates will join their peers to present the Youth Demands for COP29, a key component of The Global Youth Statement, which embodies the collective voice of children and youth at COP29. Some of these critical demands include:
- Doubling adaptation funding by developed countries to fairly balance resources between mitigation and adaptation, particularly for climate-displaced communities.
- Establishing mechanisms to integrate climate migration into adaptation plans, with targeted support for displaced communities.
- Ensuring the formal inclusion of youth in climate policy design, implementation, and monitoring to promote generational equity.
- Increasing funding for climate technologies in developing countries and involving youth in technology transfer initiatives.
- Creating frameworks to address gender-based violence during climate disasters and involving women and minorities in response efforts.
- Developing robust early-warning systems tailored to vulnerable communities, particularly women and indigenous groups.
- Supporting community-led renewable energy projects to promote equitable access and local ownership.
- Preserving cultural heritage through the integration of traditional knowledge and climate-resilient infrastructure.
- Safeguarding the rights of children and future generations through policies rooted in intergenerational justice.
- Implementing social protections and training programs to ensure fairness in the transition to low-carbon economies.
These demands have been shaped through more than 80 Local and Regional Conferences of Youth, reflecting the priorities and concerns of young people globally. They aim to guide stakeholders, particularly negotiating Parties, toward more ambitious and inclusive climate action.
YOTA’s drive to empower youth voices at the imminent COP29 forms part of the Africa Youth Partnership for Climate Action, a collaboration between YOTA and the Ford Foundation, focusing on sub-Saharan Africa and five West African countries: Ghana, The Gambia, Nigeria, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. The partnership seeks to equip young people with the tools, resources, and opportunities needed to address the global climate emergency effectively.
The project has this year supported the organisation of the Local Conferences of Youth in Ghana, Nigeria, The Gambia, and Sierra Leone. It has also facilitated youth participation in events like the High-Level Political Forum in New York and the RCOY 2024 in Morocco, where our youth delegates co-led the development of the Regional Youth Statement during RCOY 2024.
We believe that by elevating youth voices and supporting their participation in global platforms like COP29, we are paving the way for more inclusive, impactful, and sustainable climate solutions.
