The round table with the UN Secretary-General was organized by the Youth Advisory Group and YOUNGO, the official youth community of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. UN Secretary-General to Youth at COP29 in Baku: “I Share Your Outrage” Nazrin Babayeva, Denis Popov Climate and Environment
After communicating with young environmental activists at the UN Climate Conference in Baku, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres wrote on his social media page that he shares the outrage of young people due to the fact that there is not enough political will in the world to overcome the climate crisis.
“You have every right to be outraged,” the UN chief wrote. “And I share your outrage. I am outraged that despite the climate abyss we are on the brink of, I see little political will to address this emergency.”
The youth roundtable with UN Secretary-General António Guterres was organized by the Youth Advisory Group and YOUNGÓ, the official youth network of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.
The meeting was not like other official meetings in the UN Secretary-General’s busy schedule The UN Climate Conference was a heartfelt and frank conversation. Environmental activists from around the world shared their vision of combating climate change with the UN Secretary General, talked about the problems they face along the way, and asked him questions about how to prevent a climate catastrophe.
The participants of the meeting spoke about their dreams and fears, as well as about real steps that could make the world more sustainable and safe for future generations. For many of them, climate problems are not an abstraction, but an everyday reality that they are ready to fight against, no matter what. António Guterres listened carefully to the “voices of the future” and expressed his support for the efforts of youth activists.
“It was a very productive and inspiring meeting,” she said in an interview with the News Service UN one of the participants of the round table, young eco-activist from Azerbaijan Aysel Azizova.
“We discussed the role of youth in sustainable development and the fight against climate change. The fact that Mr. Guterres listens to young people and values their proposals is very important to me,” Aysel said. “This dialogue helped me and my colleagues better understand the causes of climate change and possible solutions. He gave us useful advice.”
The environmental activist said that during the meeting she proposed steps to stimulate investment in green technologies and address resource constraints, especially for developing countries. “Mr. Guterres very kindly answered my question and explained all the details,” she added.
Lamin Jawo, an 18-year-old climate change activist from The Gambia, told UN News Service that he learned a lot from the meeting with the UN Secretary-General.
“Two very important points that I got from his speech are about youth issues. Youth participation in climate initiatives is something very important, especially for vulnerable groups such as children and people with disabilities,” said Lamin Jawo. “I also believe that the views of representatives of these groups should be taken into account in actions and initiatives related to climate change. So, ensuring universal participation is a must, and I got this from his speech. The second important point is about financing the fight against climate change. The Secretary-General mentioned that funding should be targeted to countries most vulnerable to climate change,” he said.
He William Chen, an environmental activist from Australia, told the UN News Service that what stood out to him in António Guterres’ speech was his call for global governance reforms.
“Our generation is also calling for reform,” he said. “We know that the current governance system is failing us, especially vulnerable communities and developing countries, those on the front lines of the climate crisis.”
According to the environmental activist, António Guterres called for greater participation of young people in decision-making. “However, I believe that young people should not only participate, but also make decisions on their own,” He William Chen said. “We must overcome despair and take decisive action. It is important for us to listen to the words of the Secretary-General, who reminded us that we have the collective moral authority and the power to achieve systemic change for the future of our generation.”
Antonio Guterres repeated his call to young people on his social media page. “I ask you to be even more persistent and creative, and to continue to apply pressure to advance climate action,” the UN chief wrote. “Now more than ever, we need a vibrant youth movement.”
The UN Secretary-General assured the youth of his steadfast support. “This is the most important battle of our time, and we must win,” the Secretary-General said.