The UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) launched the Youth Climate Mentorship Program during a high-level dialogue on the sidelines of the 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP23) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), held from November 6 to 17, 2017 in Bonn, Germany. The program is designed and set to run in partnership with the UAE Government and the Youth Climate Lab, with partnering governments and international organizations.

The program seeks to drive youth participation in UN climate negotiations and national climate change-related policy-making through providing meaningful opportunities for the young generation in the spheres of policy research and solutions development. Facilitating collaboration and knowledge exchange, the program will connect youth with mentors from the ranks of negotiators, policy-makers, high-level government representatives and members of international organizations.

Participants at the dialogue included His Excellency Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, His Excellency Didier Dogley, Minister of Environment, Energy and Climate Change of the Seychelles, His Excellency Adnan Z. Amin, Director-General of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), and His Excellency Frank Rijsberman, Director-General of the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI).

The discussion revolved around the importance of engaging the young generation in the implementation of the Paris Agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The participants proposed topics relevant to climate action that the youth can focus on in developing solutions, policies and case studies.

His Excellency Dr Al Zeyoudi said: “We believe that today, more than ever, youth are responsible for a sustainable future, and we are here today to take a major step forward in empowering youth to be part of the climate solution.”

He added: “The UAE has prioritized the engagement and empowerment at the highest levels, and we have around 30 youth representatives as part of the UAE’s COP 23 delegations. We look forward to enhancing their role in climate action through this program and working with our partners.”

His Excellency Didier Dogley added: “The Seychelles Republic consists of small islands surrounded with water, and hence, we focus on the sustainability of oceans and marine life. With our small population, it is vital to involve the youth at an early age and we are keen to involve the youth in our negotiations, diplomatic efforts and international engagements. We believe that it is essential to include youth in developing climate solutions.”

His Excellency Adnan Z. Amin said: “Our education was very different from yours [the youth], very structured very hierarchical, one of the wonderful things for me to interact with youth is how flexible your educational systems are and how current the issues you’re learning about and the energy and vitality with which you work,” said director-general of Irena, Adnan Amin.

He said since climate change is a concern that future generations will face, it is imperative that young people get involved in shaping their own future.

“One of the most exciting things for me is how many young people are working on specific solutions. Youth, with their current technological literacy and their inherent understanding of climate change are geared towards tackling the subject not when they are older but today”, he said.

His Excellency Frank Rijsberman added: “The youth are the future and through our partnership with the UAE, we have been involved in several programs to engage the youth. To achieve a green and climate-resilient economy, we need to focus on creating green jobs. Thus, it is essential to empower the youth and young entrepreneurs to help create these jobs.”

Over 30 youth delegates attending the event expressed their willingness and interest in participating in the program. The program will run as a pilot program from the beginning of 2018, and the outcome will be reported next year at the COP 24 Climate Change Conference, to be held in Katowice, Poland.