14 Jun, 2013

U.N. Issues Call To Youth To Support Action Against Climate Change

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United Nations, (UN News Centre) – Jun 13 2013 – Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today issued a call to action for the world’s youth to tackle climate threats, stressing that young people are “agents of change” that bring fresh and innovative ideas to address “this most pressing issue.”

“I am glad to have this chance to talk with you, to discuss the most important and most pressing issue which will increasingly feature in your lives and coming generations,” Mr. Ban told a group of youth delegates attending UN climate change negotiations in Bonn, Germany, in a videoconference. “Climate change is a threat to development, the stability of countries and economies, and the health of the planet. Extreme weather is costing trillions of dollars and endangering lives and livelihoods all around the world.” (Read the full text of his remarks below).

Mr. Ban told the delegates that youth would play a key role in his Climate Change Leaders’ Summit in New York in September 2014, to catalyze ambitious action on the ground, to reduce emissions and to strengthen climate resilience.

“When I say “leaders”, I’m talking about Government leaders,” Mr. Ban said. “But I’m also talking about leaders from business, finance and civil society, including youth. It is imperative that the powers of all change-agents be harnessed to tackle climate change- no one group can do it alone.”

“Use your power as voters and consumers,” Mr. Ban said, encouraging youth to get involved by reminding their political leaders of their moral responsibility to them and future generations and by adopting measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and strengthen resilience to climate shocks.

Mr. Ban, who was joined in the discussion by his Envoy on Youth, Ahmad Alhendawi, also heard messages from young people submitted for him via the online platforms of Twitter and Facebook. Asked where he envisioned youth playing the biggest role in building the momentum needed to tackle climate change, Mr. Ban told the youth leaders that it was up to all youth to challenge their peers, leaders, prime ministers, mayors, congress people, senators, and professors to take action.

“You are in the middle of a great transition era. To address climate change, we need fresh and innovative ideas.” Too often, he said, adults work to preserve business as usual and the status quo. “Young people approach problems with new ideas and a new perspective.” Mr. Ban added that he would continue to press for action on climate change until the end of his term, at which point he would “pass the torch to you. That’s your job.”

“Are you ready to take up the challenge?” Mr. Ban asked the youth representatives at the end of the discussion. The delegates responded with an enthusiastic wave of hands.

The youth delegates are part of a group known as YOUNGO in the climate negotiations, or youth non-governmental organizations. Liam Upson of the United Kingdom Youth Climate Coalition moderated the discussion and said the group has been speaking for young people around the world since the round of climate talks in Copenhagen and ensures that “the voices of current and future generations are heard.”

Full text of the UN Secretary-General’s opening remarks at online discussion with youth on climate change

It is a great pleasure to see you. Thank you for joining this video conference with the Secretary-General. We have the UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth, Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi, who also works together with you for your future.

I am glad to have this chance to talk with you, to discuss the most important and most pressing issue which will increasingly feature in your lives and coming generations.

That is climate change. Climate change is a threat to development, the stability of countries and economies, and the health of the planet.

Extreme weather is costing trillions of dollars and endangering lives and livelihoods all around the world.

I have seen for myself the impacts of climate change, from the Arctic to Antarctica – from Brazilian rain forests, from the Andes mountains to the Gobi desert.  I have visited all the places where I was able to see the impact of climate change, and learn for myself.

Just last week I visited the United States National Center for Atmospheric Research.

Their briefing was truly disturbing, on the impact of climate change on sea-level rise and the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air.

The only answer is to take immediate action – quite ambitious action on the ground – and for that we need cooperation among governments, civil society and business communities and all partners.

We need to agree on and implement ambitious answers.

Governments have agreed to put in place a legally binding treaty by 2015.  I am committed to raise international political leaders’ priorities to make this happen by the end of December 2015.

For that, next year I will convene a summit meeting of world leaders to the United Nations to mobilize the necessary political will, and capitalize on actions on the ground and strengthen the climate resilience.
But I need your help. This cannot be done by the United Nations alone. That is why I am meeting you.

First, I want you to remind your political leaders of their promise and their political and moral responsibility to you and to your future generations.

Second, I want you to support action that reduces greenhouse gas emissions and strengthens resilience to climate shocks.

Use your power as voters and consumers.  Challenge your Senators and Congressmen and Governors and Mayors and Presidents and Prime Ministers that is is our world; this is our planet earth, to preserve this only planet earth, environmentally sustainable and hospitable.

The United Nations wants to work very closely with you.

That is why I have introduced and appointed an Envoy on Youth, Mr. Ahmad Alhendawi.

I am pleased to welcome him to our conversation today.

He is working closely with, not only with the United Nations agencies, but all Member States and all the partners to ensure that your voices and your concerns are heard widely and clearly.

Today I want to hear your voices and views on how to build the momentum we need to tackle climate change.

Only by working together can we deliver a sustainable planet for you, for your children, and for your children’s children and succeeding generations. As Secretary-General, I am very much committed to work with you to make this happen. But I need your support.   That is the main reason I am meeting you.  I know that you are coming from various countries. I will be very happy to listen to your views.