Angelica Añabeza and Prajesh Khanal delivered a Youth Statement during the eighth session of the Committee on Environment and Development (CED8), highlighting the adverse climate impacts on young people and how they envision their collective future.
On 16 October 2024, Angelica Añabeza, Senior Associate at the Wadhwani Foundation Philippines and Movers Facilitator, together with Prajesh Khanal, Executive Director of the Centre for Policy and Governance Studies, Movers Ambassador, and YECAP Fellow, delivered a Youth Statement during the eighth session of the Committee on Environment and Development (CED8).
Held at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Bangkok, the CED8 discussed progress made on five priority areas: low-carbon transition and low-greenhouse-gas emission development strategies; air pollution; ocean protection; sustainable urban development; and access to information concerning the environment and public participation in decision-making processes.
The discussion revolved around the challenges, opportunities, and priorities for localizing action and sustainable urbanization. Participants exchanged views on strengthening multilateral cooperation on environmental and developmental challenges facing the region, including actions taken by cities.
As the Committee will guide the secretariat’s strategies and actions to implement relevant Commission resolutions and decisions and to strengthen regional cooperation to accelerate progress toward achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, Angelica Añabeza and Prajesh Khanal represented the voices of Asia-Pacific youth, calling for action on behalf of young people in the region who participated in the consultations in the lead-up to the CED8.
The Youth Statement emphasized how young people are disproportionately affected by the climate crisis, with their collective future at stake. It envisions a world where public-private-youth partnerships are stronger, meaningful and transparent youth involvement is ensured, and technical support and funding are prioritized for the most affected countries, cities, and individuals.
Below is the full Youth Statement:
“We are delighted to participate in the eighth session of the ESCAP Committee on Environment and Development to represent youth voices from the region. As a reminder, Asia-Pacific is home to over 60% of the world’s youth population, which is the highest number of children and youth in the world. As the Committee is expected to guide the secretariat’s strategies and actions, there is no other option but to consider the concerns of young people, because we have the biggest stake. Together with other vulnerable groups, youth across the region are disproportionately affected by climate change.
Indeed, we have inherited a strange world:
We grew up stuck in traffic, breathing harmful air, never seeing a clean river, and risking our lives every time we cycle. We live in a reality where we measure success by the height of our buildings, rather than by the green spaces around us or our connection to nature. And we grew up not being engaged in civic spaces and losing hope that things could get better. We are afraid of waking up not knowing if our loved ones are safe. This is our grim reality, but this is not the world we want.
Together, we share this joint responsibility to make our cities inclusive, safe, resilient, and respectful of our natural and cultural heritage. As we stand here today, we speak on behalf of all the young people who engaged in consultations for this Session, and this is the world we want:
First, building sustainable cities requires greater cooperation beyond borders and adherence to international networks and commitments. However, it must be cascaded down and localized to every city’s own potential. Cities play a crucial role in translating global SDG efforts into locally achievable actions, through closer interactions with citizens. It also requires greater collaboration through public-private-youth partnerships.
Second, we urge you to ensure meaningful and transparent partnerships with young people of all backgrounds and rebuild the trust that has been lost towards decision-makers, while creating a collective vision. Create official mechanisms for youth participation and representation at all levels, support youth-led solutions, and prepare young people for the future of work in a low-carbon economy.
Third and finally, sustainable cities must be a place of inclusion and safety. Amid increasing urbanization and extreme weather events, we should guarantee the right to essential services to refugees, migrants, and other underserved communities. Technical support and funding must be prioritized for the most affected countries, cities, and individuals.
The decisions taken in this Session will have severe impacts on the future, on your future, on our future, and far beyond our lifetime. We refuse to sit idly while decisions are made about us without us. We refuse to sit idly while decisions are lost in your politics of today while our tomorrow requires immediate and effective action. We don’t need you to let us participate in your decisions about our future. We want us to make the decisions together. Thank you.”
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