Through the Global Negotiations Support initiative and the Global Climate Change Policy Fellowship programme, SLYCAN Trust supports negotiators from the Global South in their engagement with the UNFCCC and other multilateral processes. Esther Mireku is a young negotiator from Ghana who works with the Environmental Protection Agency and is a SLYCAN Trust fellow and research associate since 2023. These are her reflections from participating in the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2024 (SB60).

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The changes in our climate highlight the necessity of ambitious action towards a sustainable and resilient future, and effective multilateral negotiations play a key role in achieving this. While government negotiators are important actors in this process, the perspectives of young people and non-Party stakeholders are also crucial in formulating climate solutions. To accelerate climate action at COP29, the negotiation process must be inclusive, transparent, participatory, and factor in future generations. This article seeks to explore the role of youth and non-Party stakeholders in climate change negotiations, emphasizing the essential elements they bring to the table.

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The role of youth at the climate change negotiation table

Around the globe, youth are formidable advocates for climate action, finding innovative solution and pushing for more sustainable policies. As future leaders, their contributions are characterized by their fresh perspective, boundless energy, and sense of urgency. Many youth-led movements have done significant work by pushing climate change issues to the forefront of political agendas at the national and international levels.

In formal negotiation settings, young negotiators have a huge role to play. They support senior negotiators with research, note-taking, and the drafting of statements or decisions. They are also given further responsibilities to take the floor to read statements or decisions, participate in strategy sessions, and express their voices in the negotiation rooms for stronger commitment and ambition.

Aside from formal negotiations, youth also contribute to technical work under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement. The youth constituency, YOUNGO, is recognized as an integral part of the constituted bodies. YOUNGO members hold seats and contribute to decision-making bodies such as the Adaptation Committee (AC), Technology Executive Committee (TEC), Paris Committee on Capacity-Building (PCCB), and the Local Communities and Indigenous People Platform (LCIPP). This engagement does not only amplify the voices of young people but also contributes to decisions that are equitable and sustainable for the future generation.

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The role of non-Party stakeholders

Non-Party stakeholders play a vital role in influencing outcomes and driving action. These stakeholders, including civil society organizations (CSOs), community-based organizations (CBOs), faith-based organizations (FBOs), academia, and the private sector, contribute critical insights and evidence-based research that shape negotiation outcomes in a transparent and inclusive manner. This promotes accountability among Parties and ensures that negotiations remain open and participatory.

The UNFCCC process includes several mechanisms for these non-Party stakeholders to engage. This includes participating as observers in the negotiation process, organizing side events, contributing to the work of constituted bodies, serving as experts, and disseminating information. 

The Global Climate Action Dialogue and the Marrakech Partnership serve as platforms where Parties and non-Party stakeholders can share their diverse perspectives and come up with effective solutions.

Through their work, non-Party stakeholders indirectly influence negotiators by sharing their climate ideas through workshops, side events, and publications. At the recent Bonn Climate Change Conference 2024 (SB60), I had the privilege of attending two side events as a young negotiator. The first, organized by the Executive Committee of the Warsaw International Mechanism for loss and damage, focused on how countries, Indigenous peoples, and local communities address non-economic losses and incorporate these processes into national policies. The second event, a sustainable fashion exhibition organized by SLYCAN Trust in collaboration with CLIMAFUGE and EthicalX, highlighted ethical, sustainable, and climate-friendly entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka. The events were informative and provided me with the opportunity to expand my knowledge on the matter and influence my perspectives.

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Key elements of youth and civil society engagement

One of the most compelling arguments that young people bring to the table is the concept of intergenerational justice, which is enshrined in the first principle of Article 3 of the UNFCCC as well as the preamble and Article 2 of the Paris Agreement. Intergenerational justice places an emphasis on ensuring that the younger generation inherits a habitable planet in the future through sustainable decisions.

Apart from intergenerational justice and equity, the perspective of younger generations is aligned with long-term planning and sustainability. This has influenced their call for comprehensive and foresightful policies that drive sustainable development, climate change adaptation, and resilience-building initiatives.

To achieve fair and just policies, youth and civil society must constantly advocate for equity and inclusivity in climate action. Marginalized groups and vulnerable communities are paramount in developing and implementing sustainable initiatives.

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Reflections on the formal negotiation agenda

The multilateral climate change process also acknowledges the work of non-Party stakeholders under the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) framework, which describes work under Article 6 of the UNFCCC and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement. This framework has six elements: education, public awareness, training, public participation, public access to information, and international cooperation, aiming to empower individuals, including youth and communities, to engage in climate action in countries across the world.

The 2022 and 2023 Youth Climate Action Summit brought together like-minded youth around the globe to share their perspectives and strategies for achieving climate solutions. Their contribution has also played a significant role in the formal negotiation agenda. Last year at COP28, youth-led events and actions were prominent in the process, with a week-long series of youth-led dialogues with negotiators leading up to a final event on December 8^th, 2023. Among the key issues highlighted were calls to countries to urgently honor the climate commitments made in their National Determined Contributions (NDCs), speeding up work on the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), and ensuring food and water security. On the same day, thousands of youths gathered for the launch of the Youth Stocktake Outcome Report, where youth called for inclusion and documentation of their efforts in the process.

With a few months until COP29, we can anticipate an increase in youth participation in the process. The COP29 Presidency is promoting youth engagement in climate action through the appointment of a Youth Climate Champion who will echo the voices of the youth. Around the globe, youth organizations are gearing up to seek sustainable solutions to climate finance, loss and damage, and adaptation. The Presidency envisioned having an inclusive approach to COP where every voice counts in the processes for climate policy formulation.

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Conclusion

There is no doubt that youth as well as non-Party stakeholders play a crucial role in shaping the climate negotiation process and enhancing inclusive and sustainable solutions. With the momentum from COP28 and in anticipation of COP29, the future of youth engagement in climate action looks positive. It is essential that the youth receive the necessary support to amplify their voices in a collective effort to combat climate change and build long-term resilience for the wellbeing of all.

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