THE Global Youth Statement sets out the asks from young people from 140 countries to world leaders.
The statement was drafted through the Conference of Youth (COY) ahead of the summit in Glasgow.
Youth activists spent 6000 hours drafting and negotiating the 77-page document, which covers demands on energy, food and agriculture, climate justice, health and wildlife, among many others.
The statement was handed to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, COP26 President Alok Sharma, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Patricia Espinosa and the UK’s lead climate negotiator Archie Young at an event inside the Blue Zone on Friday.
READ MORE: COP26: Nicola Sturgeon vows to work with Scottish Youth Parliament
Outside of the event, thousands of young people took to the streets in a mass protest in Glasgow city centre.
But inside, members of youth NGO’s (Youngo) took to the stage to set out a series of demands to leaders to take to the negotiating table.
On finance, the group called on delegates to secure the $100bn per year promised to developing countries and for leaders to push for more inclusive finance.
We previously told how the UK Government has admitted “regret” that the target won’t be met until 2023 - three years late.
The group also called for divestment of private and public finance from environmentally harmful activities, such as investment in fossil fuels, and for countries to adopt carbon pricing mechanisms and progressive carbon taxes.
Ahmad Bassam (pictured), from Jordan, told delegates and world leaders that the world has seen “unprecedented growth” over the last decade, but is not the “inclusive development” the global youth aspire to.
He said: “We have seen instead the unequal development of economies and unfair trade deals which have left out economies and communities just to be out there without any cover.
“Excuses about inflation and unemployment rates should not be used against climate change actions, we have seen skyrocketing inflation and unbearable employment rates.
“Even before we saw the destructive effects of climate change, the system was already broken before climate change effects hit us.
READ MORE: COP26: Thousands attend Glasgow youth climate strike
“The system was broken and it would not be fixed by putting off climate action to some distant future where our generation is left to deal with it.”
The group also called for just transition from fossil fuels such as oil and gas into renewable energy, with more international cooperation to meet the objectives worldwide.
Aislinn Mulligan, a representative from the UK, told the conference that energy systems must shift to a “human centric approach”.
She said: “We call for improved access to affordable, clean energy for the most affected people and places and investment to support countries that are most affected by the climate crisis to meet their energy demands.
The group also presented demands on areas such as agriculture
“We believe that a just fair democratic and global energy transition to clean renewable energy should be on the top of the executive agenda.
“We call for significant financing of technology and knowledge transfer to support the energy transition in developing and least developing countries, working with specific communities to tailor relevant solutions.”
Meanwhile, Chandelle O’Neil, a sustainable energy systems design specialist and human rights advocate from Trinidad and Tobago, called for more inclusivity for underrepresented group at the negotiating table.
They said: “We will address the elephant not in the room, globally women are only 10% of heads of state and 21% of government ministers.
READ MORE: Climate crisis: Billionaires' emissions putting world in 'grave peril'
“Only two heads of state in the world are 35 or younger, despite young people being around one third of the global population.
“The UNFCCC rules prevent the real representation of indigenous peoples as autonomous from the nation states they live in, and the presence of BIPOC, black indigenous people of colour, communities in both political and scientific realms are disproportionately low, and I can go on.
O'Neil called for underrepresented groups to be included in negotiations
“The problem is perpetuated in low income families, migrant communities, the LGBT+ communities and also people with disabilities. All these groups have suffered the most during the Covid-10 pandemic.
“We are tired that most decision making processes, including those that are happening in these two weeks in this venue, are mainly taken by cisgendered old privileged males. Sorry guys, not sorry.”
You can read the full Global Youth Statement and their policy demands here.
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