Question

To ask the President of COP26, what steps he has taken to ensure that children and young people are (a) involved in and (b) engaging with COP26.

The UK COP26 Presidency is committed to working with young people from across the globe to amplify their climate action and to inspire governments to increase their ambition and deliver an inclusive COP26.

The COP26 Unit has a dedicated youth engagement team who are coordinating the UK Government’s strategy to ensure youth voices are heard at COP26 and in its legacy. As COP President Designate I have established a COP26 Civil Society and Youth advisory council, these meetings are co-chaired by youth representatives. Officials also chair a 6 weekly open call, to which we invite a large network of civil society and youth stakeholders to engage them in our planning for COP26.

As COP President Designate, I have committed to meeting young people and civil society organisations in every country I visit. Most recently, I launched an Ethopian youth ‘enfluencers network’ and met with the youth climate cafe in Nepal.

We are also working in partnership with the Italian Government, who will host the Pre-COP and Youth4Climate2021: Driving Ambition Event this September in Milan. In addition, the UK COP26 Presidency has endorsed the sixteenth Conference of Youth (COY16) and will be working in conjunction with YOUNGO, the official youth constituency to the UNFCCC, to deliver this event.