Introduction

Climate change is one of the biggest challenges affecting children and youth today, especially in developing countries with low incomes, large rural populations, reliance on natural resources, and less robust risk management and safety nets. Empowering youth in climate action and engaging youth to play a key role in building resilience to climate change through active and meaningful participation are key elements to enhance climate action.  Under the United Nations Framework for Climate Change (UNFCCC), the role and contribution of youth to address adverse impacts of climate change is recognised and addressed through Action for Climate Empowerment and other work under Article 6 of the UNFCCC and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement. Climate negotiations are a key focus in ensuring that youth voices are heard and integrated into global decision making processes. Recognising the importance of the role of youth in climate action and in climate negotiations, Global Youth Forum on Climate Change (GYFCC) implemented by SLYCAN Trust Youth is co-organizing with UNICEF a Pre-COP27 Youth Forum, ahead of the 27th Conference of Parties of the UNFCCC which will be held in Egypt in November 2022. The event aims to highlight the role of youth in COP27 and to facilitate and support the better engagement of youth in climate negotiations as well as climate action.

Objectives

• Create awareness among youth on climate negotiations, and ways to engage in the negotiation process.

• Identifying avenues for better engaging youth, capacity building and empowerment based on the 6 areas of focus under Action for Climate Empowerment under the UNFCCC.

• Identifying opportunities for youth engagement in climate policy processes such as NDCs, NAPs and other related climate processes to ensure the process is inclusive and participatory.

• Bringing together youth participants to share experiences, expertise and success stories related to climate action

• Identify key priorities for youth for climate action, and which need to be highlighted and emphasized during COP27.

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  Just transition in the energy sector
  - Key elements to ensure just transition in the energy sector
  - Gaps and challenges faced in integrating aspects and strategies of just transition in the energy sector
  - Institutional structures and role of actors in achieving just transition in the energy sector
  - Entry points and opportunities for integrating just transition into climate policy initiatives and actions
  - Success stories, best practices, and experience sharing on initiatives

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  Ensuring just transition in the food sector
  - Key elements of just transition and their relation to global and local food systems
  - Gaps and challenges faced in integrating aspects and strategies of just transition in the food sector
  - Institutional structures and role of actors in achieving just transition in the food sector
  - Entry points and opportunities for integrating just transition into climate policy initiatives and actions
  - Success stories, best practices, and experience sharing on initiatives

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  Gender, inclusion, social protection, and cross-cutting aspects related to just transition
  - Key cross-cutting aspects related to just transition
  - Interlinks for integration of just transition with climate action and into different climate policy and action processes
  - Impacts of COVID-19 and the role of recovery actions in contributing toward just transition
  - Success stories, best practices, and experience sharing on initiatives