COP28’s flagship youth day hosted the first-ever Youth Stocktake, facilitating the coming together of thousands of young people.
Youth, Children, Skills and Education Day convened in Dubai on 8 December, bringing together young leaders to discuss central youth policy proposals for COP28 and to formulate a 2023 Global Youth Statement.
Youth, Children, Skills and Education Day saw the Dubai Youth Climate Dialogue and Youth Stocktake Launch event.
Attended by Parties, young leaders, and key youth stakeholders, it marked the finale of the COP-mandated youth-led dialogue forum to discuss the central youth policy proposals for COP28 and the 2023 Global Youth Statement.
The day included the announcement and discussion of the first-ever Youth Stocktake, led by YOUNGO (the Children and Youth Constituency of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change) and supported by Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazrui, the Youth Climate Champion (YCC).
Reflecting on the day, Her Excellency Shamma Al Mazrui, Youth Climate Champion, commented: “At this COP, we have witnessed unprecedented initiatives fostering children and youth inclusion. With 110 dedicated delegates on the ground, our youth have not only made a significant impact through numerous speaking engagements and negotiations but have also effectively represented their communities. Today, and all the activity that has led to it, is focused on catalyzing transformative change that will stand as a lasting legacy for future COPs.”
Further, during Youth, Children, Skills and Education Day, 38 countries agreed to sign the UNESCO Greening Education Partnership Declaration, committing to incorporate climate education into their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and National Adaptation Plans (NAPs).
Education and future skills were a key focal point throughout the day, with a series of events designed to help young people unlock future career opportunities. Fifty young people, for example, joined the Marketplace of the Future.
Around 1,000 young people also attended a Green Skills Fair, which connected participants with potential employment opportunities or funding and offered an opportunity for networking with potential employers and leading climate experts.
Youth, Children, Skills and Education Day closed with a graduation ceremony for the COP28 Youth Climate Delegates Program, which saw 110 young people from all over the world come together to celebrate their participation in the program.
The Youth Climate Delegates Program represents the largest initiative to date to expand youth participation in the COP process and had a special focus on delegates from Least Developed Countries, Small Island Developing States, Indigenous Peoples, and other minority groups.
In September, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child adopted the ‘General Comment No. 26 (2023) on Children’s Rights and the Environment with a Special Focus on Climate Change’.
During COP28’s Youth, Children, Skills and Education Day, the UAE also announced a new $220 million funding package for Africa, with the aim of driving better health outcomes for youth.