06/02/2021
Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action
https://www.unicef.org/environment-and-climate-change/climate-declaration
In 2019, at the 25th Conference of the Parties (COP25) in Madrid, a group of world leaders joined youth activists in a historic moment — to sign an Intergovernmental Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action. This is the first-of-its-kind commitment to accelerate inclusive, child and youth-centered climate policies and action at national…, The Declaration, Considering that children face heightened and specific risks due to climate change, that these impacts are already occurring, and that the most disadvantaged and marginalized children bear the heaviest burden; Acknowledging the global leadership and calls of children and young people for urgent and immediate climate action, as well as their…, COMMIT, THERFORE, to:, 1., Advocate for global recognition and fulfilment of children’s inalienable right to a healthy environment, , and to take steps to enshrine this right in regional treaties and frameworks, national Constitutions and/or legislation; 2., Scale up efforts to respect, promote and consider the rights of children and young people, in implementation of the Paris Agreement at all levels, including recognition of their specific vulnerabilities, as well as their status as key stakeholders and implementers, in countries’ national climate adaptation and mitigation measures, Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), and long-term greenhouse gas…, Urgently scale up and accelerate investment in child- and youth-responsive adaptation, disaster risk reduction and mitigation measures, , with a particular focus on reaching children most at risk, and advocate for child-sensitive criteria to be mainstreamed in multilateral funds; 4., Strengthen the capacity of children and young people on climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, by establishing and investing in climate change and environmental education, and equipping children and young people with the knowledge and skills required to protect themselves and contribute to a safe and sustainable future, ensuring that such efforts reach marginalized children and youth; 5. , Enhance the meaningful participation of children and youth in climate change processes, , including through the Action for Climate Empowerment dialogue, by participating in the Youth Delegate Programme in the UNFCCC, and supporting the YOUNGO Global South Youth Scholarship; 6., Consider and actively explore measures to establish an international Commission for Children and Future Generations, , as well as mechanisms at the national level to ensure the effective participation of children and youth in decision making on climate change; 7. , Adopt institutional and administrative measures, as well as partnerships, at national and international levels to actively pursue the above objectives, , and to enhance coherence and a cross-cutting focus on children and youth in climate action, including with respect to UNFCCC decision-making processes and workstreams, and implementation of the Paris Agreement and Sustainable Development Goals. > Back to top , Signatories, Bangladesh Chile Costa Rica Fiji Luxembourg Mexico Monaco Panama Peru Nigeria Sweden Slovenia Spain St. Lucia Uruguay > Back to top , Frequently asked questions, How did the Declaration come into being?, The Intergovernmental Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action was launched in December 2019 during the COP25 , at a high-level event convened by the COP25 Presidency of the Government of Chile in Madrid, Spain. UNICEF, in collaboration with YOUNGO and the Children’s Environmental Rights Initiative coalition (CERI), supported the…, Why is the Declaration important?, The Declaration represents a first-of-its-kind set of commitments by States to consistently consider children’s specific needs, rights and perspectives in their climate policies and action at all levels. This comprehensive framework seeks to respond to the fact that that, the climate crisis is a child rights crisis, , while also recognizing the enormous capacity of children and youth to be powerful agents of change. It also seeks to address the widespread omission of children from climate policies, strategies and plans. It is imperative that we put children at the heart of climate action and invest in practical solutions that protect children from the effects…, How many countries have signed?, The Declaration was signed by 12 countries during COP25 in 2019. For a complete updated list, please refer to the Signatories section., Can the Declaration be changed?, The Declaration is based on priorities identified by children and youth themselves, and consensus on the text was reached by the champion governments that launched the Declaration. While the Declaration text is therefore considered closed at this stage, an annexe to the Declaration has been developed to provide additional context and guidance on…, Is there any additional guidance to accompany the Declaration?, Yes, an annexe has been developed to provide guidance on operationalizing the Declaration’s commitments. This guidance is intended to provide more context, information, and supporting resources and tools where available. It also seeks to address additional comments and suggestions from signatory States to further strengthen certain dimensions of…, How can our government sign?, Your Government can sign by sending a scanned copy of the signed Declaration to climate@unicef.org and the CERI Secretariat at secretariat@childrenvironment.org . You will receive a confirmation email from UNICEF. You are also kindly invited to identify a focal point and contact details for follow-up., What happens next?, Once confirmation is received, your Government will be included on the list of Member State signatories on the Declaration webpages of the co-custodians. We will announce your commitment on social media and showcase your alignment during key moments and events around the world. We invite you to announce this news through your own channels as well…, What else can signatories do?, While alignment with the Declaration is a critical first, step, this must be viewed as an opportunity to take stock and operationalize the commitments encompassed within the Declaration, at local, national, regional and international levels. Signatory governments are invited to explore establishing a c oalition for children w ith the aim of…, How will progress be monitored?, As your Government takes steps to operationalize the Declaration, please share developments and plans with us so that we can bring visibility to exemplary work. We encourage you to make the Declaration visible on your Government website, and to inform/engage relevant stakeholders, for example through events at the national level, as suggested…, Resources, Publisher, Title, UNICEF COVID-19, Climate Change & Environmental Degradation: Key Asks for Public Sector Partners UNICEF An Environment Fit for Children: UNICEF’s Approach to Climate Change UNICEF Healthy Environments for Healthy Children: Global Programme Framework Voices of Youth Climate Action in the time of COVID-19