UN-HABITAT is lobbying hard for young people saying that opinion shapers meeting at the world climate talks in Copenhagen must address concerns raised by youth who constitute the majority of the world’s population.
In a paper circulated to conference participants, the agency says that not only is the world’s majority population young, but most of them live in cities. As delegates and opinion shapers congregate for the 15th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), UN-HABITAT warned that the decisions taken in coming days will have far reaching impacts on youth. Young people attending the talks on Tuesday said they hope decision-makers will allocate sufficient funds for climate adaptation measures in the developing world because so many poorer countries at most vulnerable to climate change. Isaac Nyengue Bahanak, president of Youth Synergy for Development of Cameroon, is hopeful that one of the outcomes of the Copenhagen conference will be greater commitment on the part of rich countries to fund climate protection projects in the South.
“We need help to protect our natural riches and help for the most vulnerable to adapt. We also need more opportunities for youth engagement. In my country, there is no youth involvement in discussions on adaptation financing,” For details, click here |
