ANTALYA – For young people, the climate crisis is not a distant threat or a problem for future generations. It is already affecting their lives, threatening homes and ecosystems, and shaping the world they will inherit.
At COP31 in Antalya, young people are making their voices heard in discussions and decisions that will determine that future.
Marking its fifth consecutive year, the Children and Youth Pavilion has once again opened as the only fully youth-led space at the official UN Climate Change Conference (COP31). The pavilion serves as a platform for young people to engage with policymakers, exchange ideas and press for meaningful action on climate change.
The opening ceremony brought together prominent figures from the global climate and youth movements, including Sally Higgins and Marcele Oliveira, the COP31 and COP30 Presidency Youth Climate Champions, respectively.
Representatives of institutional partners, including UNICEF, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF) and the British Council, also attended. Frontline activists, however, brought a sharper focus to the urgency of including young people in climate decisions.
Among them was Brianna Fruean, a Samoan environmental activist working on ocean and climate issues who serves as a Pacific Advisor to the Presidency Youth Climate Champion Team.
Fruean said a dedicated space for young people at the centre of global climate negotiations was essential, not merely symbolic.
“It’s of utmost importance to have a pavilion like this,” she said.
She argued that young people must participate in climate negotiations because they will eventually be responsible for implementing the commitments made today.
“If there’s no youth participation in spaces such as COP (Conference of Parties), there’s no sustainability for our movement, because what is decided at this conference today is what the youth of tomorrow will need to be implementing. So how do you make plans without the implementers?” she asked.
Her remarks reflected a central demand of the youth climate movement: young people should have a meaningful role in shaping climate policies rather than simply being consulted about decisions affecting their future.
That approach is reflected in the pavilion’s programme, which brings together organisations including UNDP, UNICEF, Save the Children, UNOPS and the World Meteorological Organisation, along with numerous youth-led groups involved in climate action.
The pavilion is also represented by 10 young spokespeople, aged 14 to 31, who bring varied experiences and expertise to discussions on different negotiation topics. Their participation is intended to keep children’s and young people’s priorities visible throughout the conference.
First established at COP27, the Children and Youth Pavilion has created a formal space for the next generation within the international climate process. It allows young people to present their initiatives, exchange ideas and engage with the broader work of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.
As delegates negotiate climate commitments in Antalya, the pavilion is underscoring the role of young people not just as those who will inherit the consequences of today’s decisions, but as participants in determining the way forward. (IANS)
