“Young people must be at the table – as designers of their own future, not as recipients of decisions of elders who have, let’s be honest, failed them in so many key respects.” – António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations
Climate change processes and decision-making often do not consider young people’s interests. However, to achieve fair and just climate action, all age groups should have a seat at the table. This is part of the drive behind this year’s Climate Youth Negotiator Programme (CYNP) Fundamental Training, which kicked off in July 2024.
The CYNP training programme is a collaboration between the Future Leaders Network and UN CC:Learn that aims to equip youth negotiators with the knowledge and skills to navigate the often-complex multilateral climate negotiations. The CYNP is in its third edition and has trained over 230 youth from over 50 countries. To participate, countries appointed up to 4 young people to join the program and who are eligible to act as youth climate negotiators on their behalf.
The 2024 program will take young participants on a six-month learning journey that will culminate in in-person training at COP29 in November 2024. During this period, participants will participate in a comprehensive capacity-building and experience-sharing programme that will provide them with the necessary knowledge and skills to negotiate on-site for their countries in the upcoming COP in Baku, Azerbaijan. The training will bring different experts to lecture the participants, exposing them to theory and real-life experiences on a range of climate-related issues.
UN CC:Learn is also extending its support to the inaugural Land Youth Negotiator Programme that aims to train youth delegates from around the world on the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and negotiations under the UNCCD in readiness for the upcoming COP16 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia in December 2024. The Land Youth Negotiator Programme also kicked off in June 2024 and will run parallel to the Climate Youth Negotiator Programme.
You can learn more about the 2022 and 2023 editions of the Climate Youth Negotiator Programme.
Last year’s graduation ceremony during COP28.