Youth ambassadors from child rights organisation Save the Children will this evening present a statement of key climate action asks to politicians ahead of the UN international climate meeting COP29.

The Youth Climate Statement, created at New Zealand’s first COP simulation event for youth held last month in Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland, will be presented to climate spokespeople this evening online at 7pm before being sent to Climate Change Minister Simon Watts and the New Zealand delegation heading to COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11 to 22 November.

Around 25 rangatahi aged between 12 and 18 took part in the model COP event where they shared their unique insights and experiences and helped draft a statement of asks. Across each of the priority areas, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH), Loss and Damage and Sustainable Food Systems, youth climate advocates call for:

• A holistic approach that integrates global cooperation, sustainable funding mechanisms, indigenous knowledge, and local capacity building. By addressing the challenges in water, sanitation, and hygiene through equitable solutions and focusing on resilience, these recommendations contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and fostering healthier, more sustainable communities worldwide.
• Building resilience and addressing Loss and Damage, particularly for Global South nations. By establishing financial mechanisms, integrating Indigenous knowledge, and investing in renewable energy, these recommendations provide a pathway towards equitable recovery. Global cooperation, education, and support will ensure that communities can adapt to the ongoing and future impacts of climate change, contributing to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals.
• The importance of building sustainable, equitable food systems that integrate indigenous knowledge, promote food security, and reduce environmental impact. By focusing on land regeneration, incentivising sustainable agriculture, and ensuring access to nutritious food, these recommendations aim to create resilient communities that can adapt to the ongoing challenges posed by climate change.

"It’s not just things that are being destroyed by climate change, it’s identity and culture as well," says Save the Children Generation Hope Ambassador Delara, 16, who took part in the COP Simulation event.

Sylvie, 16, also a Generation Hope ambassador adds:

"I think it’s really important for Aotearoa to make sure that as an island nation we are always finding ways to improve our response in mitigating and adapting to climate change to help our future generations."

Save the Children Advocacy Director Jacqui Southey says the climate statement prepared in Aotearoa will also form part of the global statement for Save the Children that will be presented at COP29.

"Children’s experiences, insights and advice matter and we need to ensure a focus on children’s rights in climate negotiations, policies and financing at all levels.

"It was children who pushed the climate emergency up the political agenda and, as adults, we must step up and support children to implement their ideas for a better future."

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