Reporter: Young people from various countries across the African continent gathered in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for the Global Ethical Stocktake. The event brought together youth engaged in climate-related work, along with African and Latin American climate youth networks, at the headquarters of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Brazilian COP30 Youth Climate Champion Marcele Oliveira highlighted the strength and leadership of youth in the debate. According to her, the meeting in Addis Ababa, the “cradle of humanity,” symbolizes the essential role of new generations in building solutions to the climate crisis.
Marcele Oliveira: We discussed not only expectations for COP30, but also for the climate justice debate. The expectation is that the climate justice debate will increasingly reflect perspectives from the Global South starting at COP30, driving climate education, visibility, and opportunities. And that this will also drive a more real debate, a debate about implementation. Enough talk, it’s time for action. And those who grasp this reality are precisely those facing the disproportionate consequences of climate change every day. The expectation was clear: a successful COP30 benefits everyone. That’s what we’re going to achieve.
Reporter: The agenda in Africa held special symbolic significance. Not only did it bring together young people from various countries, but it also highlighted Africa’s strong presence at a time when the continent is demanding climate justice. Proposals discussed included green jobs, adaptation strategies, the integration of climate and security, and effective communication strategies to combat disinformation. For MS. Siham Ahmed, an Ethiopian activist from EcoJustice Ethiopia, discussing the climate crisis without including the voices of young people is equivalent to ignoring the majority of the continent’s population.
Siham Ahmed: In more than 70% of cases, young people are the most affected. And returning to Africa, as we know, there are many young people, and more than half of them are Africans.. It is very clear and important that we must be able to include the role and the voice of young people in all the policies we adopt, not only as a country but also as a continent.
Reporter: Kenyan environmentalist and Global Ethical Stocktake co-lead Ms. Wanjira Mathai stressed that youth must be recognized not only as a promise for the future but as active leaders in the present. For her, youth engagement is decisive, since it is the new generations who will face the most severe impacts of the climate crisis.
Wanjira Mathai: Young people are not just a category. They are leaders. That is why it is so important for all of us to recognize that they are the ones who will face the worst impacts of climate change, and that we have the obligation to leave a legacy of effort, a legacy of justice, and a legacy that shows we have done our part.
Reporter: The Global Ethical Stocktake is one of the circles created by the Brazilian COP30 Presidency to bring global leaders from different sectors closer together. In addition to regional dialogues—such as those held this week in Addis Ababa—self-organized meetings are a core part of this strategy. Anyone—individual, organization, or social movement—can organize their own debate, following the guide available on the official COP30 website.
English version: Trad. Bárbara Menezes
Proofreading by Enrique Villamil.