Young people’s climate action contributes to landmark recognition

Young people’s climate action and contributions have once again contributed to a significant milestone towards the realisation of children’s rights in relation to the environment and climate change. This comes after the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted its general comment No 26 on children’s rights and the environment with a special focus on climate change, during its 93rd session in May 2023.

Young people, mainly children under the age of 18, formed part of the consultation process in developing this general comment. Beyond these consultations, they have been actively advocating for change in how leaders and decision makers approach climate action. Now, a general comment that will affect the world’s 2.4 billion children who are and will be affected by climate emergencies has been developed and will push United Nations member states and businesses to recognise children’s right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. 

This recognition is also significant because a business and member states’ inaction on the climate crisis will be regarded as a child rights’ violation. Therefore, businesses and member states will need to take active steps to protect children’s rights in the climate crisis, factor environmental concerns into their efforts to protect and fulfil children’s rights, and empower and protect child activists. The essence of the young people’s contributions were that: “Adults should stop making decisions for the future they won’t experience. We are the key means of solving climate change, as it is our lives at stake.”

The sooner member states and businesses recognise that young people are not just passive victims, as demonstrated by movements globally, the better. The absence of intergenerational leadership and decision-making concerning climate action is a call for concern. The resourcing of youth climate action, development of youth advisers or councils together with youth action plans on climate change and the investment in youth climate businesses, innovations and skills development should be an urgent priority.

An essential part of the general comment is that the UN committee calls on member states that have ratified the Convention of the Rights of the Child to integrate environmental and climate issues in their work towards the fulfilment of every other children’s rights, empower children and protect child campaigners and activists, demanding, among other things, that they are given access to courts and that they are protected from retaliation when they participate in activism, inform children of environmental considerations and include them in decision-making processes that will affect their lives an regulate business activities to ensure that they follow due diligence procedures that integrate children’s rights impact assessments into their operations.

While the general comment legitimises the work that young people are doing, it is worth acknowledging that young people across the world have been participating in significant climate action. Young people have been protesting against extraction companies that cause harm to communities, calling on leaders to adopt intergenerational leadership at different levels, using artivism as a means to communicate climate change damage, grassroot organising, starting businesses and innovations that present solutions to climate change and writing about their lived realities in the context of climate change.

Equally, there has been institutional support to some degree. For example, the UN secretary general appointed a Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change to consult widely with young people, and work collaboratively and inclusively with youth climate movements and leaders to advise the UN on youth integration in climate action. Additionally, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) presidency has launched a new global programme, the International Youth Climate Delegate Programme, to elevate the voices, perspectives, and priorities of the global youth in the multilateral COP process, primarily from least developed countries (LDC) and small island developing states (SIDS), to participate in climate negotiations and related public-private partnership initiatives.

Another milestone happened earlier this year, where the UN hosted the Fifth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries in Doha, Qatar, bringing together young representatives from the world’s 46 least developed countries. This conference introduced a youth-focused track, emphasising meaningful youth involvement in climate action, technology, innovative finance and education and led to the development of a Youth Declaration titled For All Generations that represents the visions and initiatives of young people from LDCs and played a pivotal role in influencing the Doha Programme of Action negotiations, gaining support from world leaders.

Ahead of the Africa Climate Summit, the African Youth Climate Assembly 2023 (AYCA) was established. It became the official platform for youth engagement, uniting African youth in the global fight against climate change. The AYCA participated in various events, including the African Union Heads of State Assembly, regional consultations, and theClimate Ambition Summit. Young change-makers from across Africa showcased their work and spoke to decision-makers, from local to continental levels, highlighting the theme of African-led Solutions to Global Challenges. The AYCA presented a declaration calling for meaningful participation in advancing Africa’s green growth agenda, specifically calling for an intergenerational youth fund and youth led research and innovation for climate action. 

Despite these remarkable efforts, young people continue to face difficulties in advocating for climate action and participating in decision-making processes. Calls for intergenerational climate justice often fall on deaf ears, with youth inclusion frequently reduced to symbolic gestures. While world leaders initially saw the Covid-19 pandemic as an opportunity for positive change, climate inaction persists, resembling the same shortsightedness and global devastation.

This erasure of youth voices extends beyond the international stage to member state level. Young people’s vulnerability to the climate crisis has been marginalised despite its severe impacts on them and young people experience exclusion through empty promises and lip service, despite being valuable assets for climate action. Youth possess resilience and innovation, making them not only victims but also vital contributors to addressing climate change. Ensuring meaningful participation for activists and affected communities remains crucial.

To effectively include youth, member states need to implement climate action funds, which provide funding for formal and informal projects on mitigation and adaptation to climate change proposed by youth organisations. This should be coupled with technical skills support, partnership and collaborations and capacity building in project implementation. Furthermore, working together with learning institutions, member states need to develop climate change educational programmes and knowledge resources for youth to be capacitated on climate change. More importantly, youth need to be included in formal decision-making.

Karabo Mokgonyana is a legal and development practitioner and programme director for the Sesi Fellowship and Skill Hub. Koaile Monaheng is the renewable energy expert at the Global Platform of Action on Renewables in Climate Action Network International (CAN).