Kids demand governments act now on climate
Denmark's Princess Alexandra and some of the participants in the Children's Climate Forum (Photo: Pamela Juhl)On Friday afternoon, 164 young people from 44 countries issued a united Climate Declaration and delivered it directly to COP15 President Connie Hedegaard at a ceremony in Copenhagen’s City Hall
By Celia Thaysen
“The battle against climate change is upon all of us. We are ready to act and we invite you to join us,’ the declaration stated. It continued: ‘We must act immediately and we are ready to fulfill our commitments. We are prepared to give all we have as long as there is the possibility of saving our planet.”
The declaration was the culmination of a week-long Children’s Climate Forum, organised by UNICEF and Copenhagen City Council.
In the declaration, the delegates outlined clear recommendations to governments specifically in the areas of adaptation to and mitigation of climate change issues.
One of the more interesting proposals was a new classification system with countries divided into three annexes: industrialised countries; developing countries which pollute heavily; and less polluting developing countries, in order to distribute responsibilities more fairly among nations.
Other proposals included increasing financial support from industrialised countries to help developing countries adapt to climate change, better water conservation, implementing community education programmes on sea level rise and flooding, and investment in energy-efficient technologies and sustainable transport infrastructure.
With a specific focus on youth, the declaration recommended that climate change education should be made mandatory on school curricula.
On receiving the document, Hedegaard said: “You must tell the politicians that they cannot leave Copenhagen empty-handed two weeks from now, because you, the citizens – the new generation – demand us to take action now.”
Hedegaard is now expected to present the Children’s Climate Declaration to world leaders at the main COP15 climate summit.
The teenagers will represent their nations as Climate Ambassadors for one year when they return home, and have formally pledged their commitment to make changes in their own personal lifestyles, to educate and to engage actively within their communities and with governments in the fight against climate change.
All week, the delegates – aged between 14 and 17 – have been taking part in debates, workshops, skills sessions, and field trips.
But it was not all work and no play. At the closing ceremony, the delegates joined Alien Beat Club, Denmark’s latest talent show winners, to perform ‘It’s My World’, a song specially written by Remee, Danish songwriter and member of pop band Aqua, for the Children’s Climate Forum.
