Her Excellency Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, UAE Minister of Climate Change and Environment, today gave the floor at the closing ceremony of MENA Climate Week to Haya Hashem Aseer, Chair of the Arab Youth Council for Climate Change (AYCCC), to share the vision of youth for its role in tackling climate change and building a sustainable future in the region.
Her Excellency said: “Over the past four days, it has been truly inspiring to watch the interaction, the collaboration, and the sharing of experiences and knowledge for one noble cause – making the world a better place to live in for our future generations.”
She added: “The success of the MENA Climate Week proves once again that collaboration is the way forward. Collective action is crucial because no country or sector, regardless of its political or financial strength, is immune to the devastating and evolving threats that a changing climate brings with it. Stopping climate change must be everyone’s business, particularly our young people, who will face its worst consequences.
“We believe in them and in their valuable contribution that complements our work. Empowering young people and making sure their voices are heard is crucial for our progress. On this note, I would love to give the rest of the time allocated for my speech to a young, promising voice to share her thoughts. Please welcome Ms Haya Hashem Aseer, Chair of AYCCC.”
Aseer said: “Our nation understands that the fight against climate change knows no difference between gender, age, or race. It truly believes that youth are actors, not observers. We dream of cities where the roofs of our buildings are green, and the transportation in our streets is clean. We dream of trillions of trees and technology that serves our planet and its peace and where leaving excess food on plates is a fined crime. We dream of keeping global temperatures at a 1.5°C increase at the end of the century.”
She added: “On behalf of my generation and the youth of our region, I am here to make three promises. We will bring hope, as we are hopeful about the future. We will bring faith, as we have faith in our nations, our leadership, and institutions. And we will bring dedication to work hard and to be a spinning wheel in the vehicle of change.
“Today, Dubai concludes Expo 2020 that was 60 percent led by youth. And when we reconvene here in the UAE for COP28, I am confident that we will all witness a spectacular COP co-authored by the youth of this nation, the region, and the world – A COP that brings hope, faith, and hard work all together.”
Aseer’s rousing speech earned a standing ovation from the audience of climate change decision makers and experts.