Nothing about us without us

Save the Children in collaboration with The Daily Star organized a roundtable titled 'Bangladesh in COP28 and Generation Hope Campaign: Youth and Children Voices Shaping Climate Discussion' on November 26, 2023. Here we publish a summary of the discussion.

Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator, YouthNet for Climate Justice

Last July, António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, warned that 'the era of global warming has ended,' and 'the era of global boiling has arrived.' At the United Nations Climate Ambition Summit (CAS), he further stated that humanity has opened the gates of hell by worsening the climate crisis.

While today's youth and children are not responsible for the situation, they are victims of climate change. Engaging in diverse activities and campaigns, they strive to alleviate the current state. Today, we will hear about their initiatives and explore avenues to support them.

Ultimately, we must face the challenge. We are the first generation experiencing the consequences of climate change, and we are also the last generation tasked with finding ultimate solutions. Therefore, active participation of all the stakeholders is crucial.

Despite usually receiving less priority to share their voice, regardless of platform size and stakeholders, today, children and youth will speak. Other stakeholders, including civil society and the government, will hear and take actions based on children and youth views.

Aruba Faruque,

Climate and Environmental Activist

Today, I'm speaking not as Aruba but as the voice of 10 million Bangladeshi children like me. I aspire to continue my activism as we are the worst victims of climate change, which not only puts our present at risk but also our future. We belong to the generation that took birth amidst the gradual worsening climate crisis – that's why we are considered innocent victims.

No climate action plan or justice can be effective without ensuring intergenerational equity. Any discussions, be it loss and damage, transition, negotiations, or future funding, must not be conducted without the meaningful inclusion of youth and children. Nothing about us, without us. Climate justice right here, right now.

Sheemtana Shameem, Director- Advocacy, Campaigns, Communications, and Media (ACCM), Save the Children,

Generation Hope is a unique campaign from Save the Children, envisioning a world that cares for children and their planet by addressing a broken system. Yet, together with youth and children, we can work to fix it.

The campaign is children and youth-led, designed to address youth issues at its core, ensuring their voices are heard. Before its launch, we held the largest-ever consultation meeting with children, involving 54,500 children across 41 countries across the globe. Contrary to some policymakers and industries viewing climate change as a future problem, the children we heard from made it clear: the problem is now.

The campaign, running for five years, has already collaborated with children and youth in various climate activities. Future plans include amplifying youth voices, ensuring they are heard globally. Climate change is a key priority for Save the Children because we recognize it as a children's issue.

The five key principles of the Generation Hope Campaign are amplifying children's voices; urgent optimism for the future for how children and youth can participate in helping climate change; compassion, not cynicism; taking children and youth voices seriously by giving them a seat at the table, and highlighting that action equals hope; and one voice worldwide.

Yudhishtir Chandra Bishwas,

Global Coordinator, YouthNet Global

Bangladesh is one of the vulnerable countries, with children and youth standing at the forefront as the worst victims of this crisis. The involvement and inclusion of youth and children, whether in COP or other summits related to climate change, fall short of expectations. Our impactful inclusion must be ensured in the upcoming COP 28 and in the way forward. Youth and children should be involved in the decision-making process because it's our future that is being negotiated. The Loss and Damage fund must be operationalized in COP 28 to safeguard our children and youth's rights, including health, education, and nutrition. This includes children and youth from all walks of life, including those in the coastal belt, hill tracts, char, and special children.

Shahin Alam,

Youth Climate Activist, Satkhira

Embarking on my journey to become a climate activist was far from easy. The aftermath of severe cyclonic storm Aila not only disrupted my life but wreaked havoc on the lives of hundreds in my village. Amidst the adversity, I witnessed my male friends compelled into child labor for survival, while female friends found themselves becoming child brides. The struggles I faced, coupled with the hardships around me, ignited a profound awakening. Delving deeper, the root cause revealed itself as none other than climate change, portraying us as innocent victims caught in the crossfire.

In Satkhira, our continuous efforts aim to bolster adaptation within our limited means and capacities. However, a looming question persists—how much can be mitigated through adaptation alone? Challenges endure despite our adoption of new techniques, encompassing issues like dam repair, food distribution, and cultivating salinity-resilient crops. While we diligently serve as the first responders during disasters, our presence is notably absent in the policymaking processes at the district or upazilas levels.

Imran Hossain,

Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF) Youth Fellow

The tragic Cyclone Aila in 2009 took my father. It prompted me to question why those of us on the coastal belt, dealing with the adverse effects of climate change, are not receiving financial assistance. We consistently advocate for the inclusion of Bangladesh's coastal belt communities in the global discourse on the operationalization of the Loss and Damage fund. It's imperative that the voices of vulnerable children and youth from these communities be considered seriously.

Sumaiya Binte Selim Sudha, Program Coordinator, International Centre for Climate Change and Development (ICCCAD)

The principles of local adaptation include eight aspects, and I'd like to highlight the second one, which emphasizes consulting everyone before making decisions. To truly adhere to this principle, it's crucial to consider the inclusion of children and youth.

Turning our attention to the situation of female children and youth, prioritizing equity over equality becomes paramount, considering societal norms and conservative perspectives that often deprive them of basic opportunities. This disparity is starkly evident in places like Shyamnagar in Satkhira and other saline-prone areas of Bangladesh, where the burden of water collection falls disproportionately on female children, truncating their educational journeys. Hence, when discussing children and youth inclusion, it is essential to specifically address the inclusion of female children and youth.

Reefat Bin Sattar, Deputy Country Director (Interim), Save the Children

Our campaign, "Generation Hope," underscores the urgency of instigating change within the current generation for a better future. Save the Children supports this initiative, emphasizing the need to bolster the resilience of the present generation.

Additionally, the concept of "leaving no one behind" reveals the nexus between inequality and climate change. Structural inequalities amplify the impacts of climate change. Addressing this requires systemic interventions, with a particular emphasis on empowering the children and youth. Breaking power dynamics on both global and local scales is essential for meaningful progress in mitigating climate change.

In conclusion, I pay tribute to Dr. Saleemul Huq, who envisioned a platform for children and believed in the transformative power of children and youth. We aspire to initiate such a platform together with ICCCAD, as we believe that without formalization, it will only be limited to dialogues. We must step up in this regard.

Abul Kalam Azad.

Special Envoy, PMO, Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF)

Upon reflection on our Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan (MCPP), it becomes evident that we must prioritize the inclusion of children and youth's voices. I suggest that young activists carefully assess and pinpoint areas where the perspectives of youth and children can be explicitly integrated into the MCPP.

In our pursuit of a smart Bangladesh—embracing smart citizen, society, economy, and government—it is important to address the concerns of youth and children across these domains. I strongly advocate for the establishment of a dedicated platform within the Smart Bangladesh network to actively involve young people and children in its development.

To my dear daughters and sons, I implore you not to lose sight of the fact that your foremost responsibility is to pursue a quality education. This education will empower you to be influential advocates for the climate, ensuring a better future. As the older generation, we borrowed this world from you, and it is your right to inherit it in an improved condition. Remind your elders that they are stewards of this world on your behalf, and returning it to you in a better state is not just a moral duty but a legal obligation. In my capacity as the president of Bangladesh Scouts, representing 2.4 million voices, I am fully committed to supporting the children and youth.

S.Z. Opu,

Program Coordinator, YouthNet for Climate Justice

Exploring Jelepara in my hometown Feni, near the Bay of Bengal, fulfilled a long-standing desire. Conversations with locals revealed the area's transformation from agricultural land to a site grappling with daily river erosion and saline water intrusion, making farming impossible. Acknowledging climate change as the cause, I shifted my perspective from assuming blame for environmental pollution to recognizing that we are the ones suffering the most.

Motivated by this awareness, I joined the climate movement, collaborating with children and youth activists in Bangladesh. Our focus is on raising awareness about the impacts we face, securing funds for loss and damage compensation, and actively participating in forums to advocate for our cause.

Golam Iftekhar Mahmud,

Special Correspondent, Prothom Alo

It's crucial to assess the involvement of children and youth in our climate fund activities, particularly in the Green Climate Fund (GCF), The inclusion of children and youth demands must be emphasized in climate plans like the Climate Change Strategy Action Plan and the Mujib Prosperity Climate Plan. It's also essential to scrutinize the allocation for children and youth in the initial climate fund under the GCF, implemented by the LGRD ministry for constructing cyclone centers, road networking, and coastal river embankments.

Amanullah Porag,

South Asia Mobilisation Coordinator, 350.org

In 2015, our first submission of the NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions) was rejected by the UNFCCC. The second attempt in 2021, a 43-page document, surprisingly had only four sentences about children and youth engagement, reflecting Bangladesh's limited commitment at both national and global levels. Although the NDC mentions the establishment of a Bangladesh Youth Climate Network and a Youth Climate Action Plan with funding, these remain only on paper. It is imperative to strengthen NDCs by meaningfully engaging young people and incorporating their perspectives into program papers.

Nauman Zahur Haque,

Senior Advisor - Climate Change Adaptation, Save the Children

As the children and youth, you possess the unique perspective of witnessing the climate change impacts firsthand—an unfortunate privilege. Utilize this vantage point to share compelling stories with the world, fostering a genuine understanding of our predicament. By embracing diplomacy and leveraging your role as children and youth advocates, we can address the concrete challenges posed by climate change more effectively and bring about meaningful change.

The climate crisis isn't just an environmental challenge; it's a fundamental issue of child and youth rights, a cause championed by Save the Children. Our comprehensive report, "Born into the Climate Crisis," underscores the critical nature of this connection.

It's not enough to merely include young people in discussions; we must ensure they have an equal seat at the table. Empowering children and youth in the dialogue is key to addressing the complex challenges of the climate crisis and fostering a more inclusive and sustainable future.

Our strategy must pivot towards securing funding for climate initiatives, whether through loss and damage considerations or conventional international finance avenues. We should explore financial sources that may not currently carry the climate finance label. A noteworthy development is the Climate Angels, a group of venture capitalists pledging over $25 billion outside standard channels, presenting an unconventional financing avenue for COP28.

Jyotiraj Patra,

Programme Director, Concern Worldwide

Move beyond mere tokenism. To effectively engage young people, foster an open mindset and treat youth-led initiatives as genuine partners.

Shift away from the conventional climate narrative. Global leaders are growing weary of the old discourse on climate change. To capture their interest, emphasize new perspectives, such as the impact of climate change on health and nutrition.

Green skills extend beyond technical expertise like hydrology and geology. In the broader climate discussion, soft skills such as diplomacy and critical thinking are essential. Consider establishing an academy in Bangladesh to equip young individuals with these skills, and international non-governmental organizations (INGOs) can collaborate with youth-led initiatives to facilitate this.

Initiate a collective children and youth voice from the Bay of Bengal region that extends beyond COP—a noteworthy endeavor with significant potential.

Nayoka Martinez-Bäckström , First Secretary & Deputy Head of Development Cooperation, Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka

The government often assumes it represents the interests of young people without direct consultation, assuming they've considered children and youth perspectives. To enhance meaningful collaboration with them, we should communicate using a language that aligns with the government's preferences and collaborate using their chosen instruments.

I appreciate Porag's perspective emphasizing the need to assess the gaps in Bangladesh's Nationally Determined Contributions, as committed in COP. This approach allows us to follow up on the implementation, and the same principle applies to the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan. This is an area where we seek collaboration with you.

Acknowledging the specialized skills required for climate change issues, we, as development partners, are eager to understand how best to collaborate with you in addressing these challenges.

Sohanur Rahman

Executive Coordinator, YouthNet for Climate Justice

Our clear message for COP is the need for new, adequate, and predictable climate finance. The Loss and Damage fund should protect child rights and human rights while also being gender-transformative. Local people must have access to that fund. We must operationalize the Loss and Damage fund in COP 28. Additionally, we should focus on transitioning from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Ultimately, our aspiration is for a comprehensive and inclusive COP 28.

Fariha Sultana Aumi,

Youth Activist

When addressing children and youth engagement, we must reshape various aspects of our existing system to ensure comprehensive inclusion. Operationalizing the Loss and Damage fund in COP 28 is essential. Furthermore, it is crucial to consistently ensure the inclusion of children and youth in the formulation of national policies and budgets.

Recommendations
 

• The Loss and Damage fund must be operationalized in COP 28.
•  The Loss and Damage fund ought to safeguard child rights and human rights, incorporating a gender-transformative approach.
• Prioritize intergenerational equity in all climate action plans and justice initiatives.
• Include children and youth voices from coastal communities in operationalizing the Loss and Damage fund.
•  Integrate children and youth demands into climate plans, including the Climate Change Strategy Action Plan and the Mujib Prosperity Climate Plan.
•  Prioritize the inclusion of female children and youth when advocating for children and youth inclusion.
•  Establish a youth academy in Bangladesh to cultivate essential soft skills for engaging in the climate discourse.
•  Build real collaboration by treating youth-led initiatives as true partners, going beyond mere token gestures.
•  Strengthen NDCs by actively involving young people and integrating their perspectives.
•  Establish a new, adequate, and predictable climate finance mechanism.