Youth movement calls for global leaders to take “urgent and bold climate adaption action”
The #Youth4Adaptation Appeal contains four major asks from youth to world leaders including promoting education, capacity-building and upskilling of young people on climate adaptation
A ‘global youth movement for adaption’ is calling on world leaders to take “urgent and bold action to adapt our world to the increasing impacts of the climate crisis”. The ‘Youth Dialogue on Adaptation Action: Delivering on the Glasgow Climate Pact’ convened by the Global Center on Adaptation (GCA) and its Youth Advisory Panel took place on 3-4 September in Rotterdam ahead of the Africa Adaptation Summit.
With climate-related disasters striking everywhere, from dramatic floods in Pakistan to deadly heatwaves and droughts sweeping across continents, young people have shown that they are taking the lead and adapting their communities, while increasing their calls on governments to adopt ambitious policy and increase finance for adaptation, the GCA said.
“We are in a climate emergency today and what we will see tomorrow will be exponentially worse. You are the generation that will be the most affected. I urge you to be more vocal on the adaptation agenda. Together we can lead the change for a climate-resilient world,” GCA CEO Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen told youth delegates during a visit to the GCA’s offices.
In July 2022, in an exclusive interview with Middle East Construction News (MECN), WSP Middle East’s Sophia Kee said, “We have 93% certainty within the next five years of hitting new temperature highs”.
The #Youth4Adaptation Appeal contains four major asks from the youth to world leaders: promote education, capacity-building and upskilling of young people on climate adaptation; provide an inclusive and participatory environment for youth in climate adaptation decision-making processes; empower youth entrepreneurs and young professionals to advance the adaptation agenda, and increase financing for youth-led adaptation initiatives through adapted and flexible funding mechanisms.
The conclusion of the two-day dialogue and the seven regional forums that took place throughout the year are enshrined in the #Youth4Adaptation Appeal, the GCA noted. The document is billed as a “a call to action by young leaders to decision-makers to adapt our world to the cascading impacts of the climate emergency by providing an urgent, ambitious and robust response to deliver on the Glasgow Climate Pact”.
Following his meeting with youth, Verkooijen committed to presenting their requests to international leaders at the Africa Adaptation Summit on 5 September, and at the vital UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt scheduled to take place between 6 and 18 November.
Former UN Secretary-General and GCA Board Chairman Ban Ki-moon and UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed also participated in the dialogue and are commended the youth’s determination to act on the climate adaptation agenda. Both leaders also encouraged young delegates to keep pressing governments to deliver on their promises ahead of COP27.
As the construction industry is responsible for an estimated 40% of global carbon emissions, it’s vital for the sector to do its part in support of the push to limit global warming. In May, four regional experts shared their thoughts on the Middle East’s journey towards Net Zero, the challenges that have to be overcome and solutions that could have a pronounced impact.
In an opinion piece shared with MECN, Katarina Uherova Hasbani, Partner and Global Director of Strategy and Advisory at AESG said that with time running out in the climate change battle, all sectors must work together to ensure a brighter, safer future.
