Hosted by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the Youth Climate Action Summit brought youth climate champions together from more than 140 countries and territories to a platform to share their solutions on the global stage, and deliver a clear message to world leaders: we need to act now to address climate change. The outcomes of the Youth Climate Summit will feed into the Climate Action Summit, which will be attended by heads of state and government as well as business CEOs and civil society leaders.

The two-day event featured a range of lively events focused firmly on action and ideas. At the Climate Slam, a poet, a film-maker and other youth actors brought their challenges to the public in a rapid-fire dialogue.

“When I left Guyana to come here,” said Rashulata St Louis, an engagement specialist, “My dad told me; ‘You’re going to the UN, don’t come back without answers.’ What am I going to tell him?”

Rameshwa Bhatt from India asked people to focus on “behaviour change, not climate change”, while Victoria Murphy from the USA, delivered a passionate poem.

“We’re fighting like our lives depend on it, because they do,” said Ms Murphy.

“We’re fighting, and we want to know: will you fight too?”

Date:

22 Sep 2019

Sources:

United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction - New York UNHQ Liaison Office (UNDRR NY)

Themes:

Civil Society/NGOs, Advocacy & Media, Children and Youth

Regions:

Americas