Youth-led Climate Forum Thematic Session I

DEFENDING INTERGENERATIONAL EQUITY IN JUST TRANSITION, CLIMATE FINANCE AND ENERGY

11 November, 2025 14:00 - 15:00

Room: MR 16 (Blue Zone)

Summary

This Youth Climate Forum session will centre on just transition finance, intergenerational equity, and youth inclusion in energy transition negotiations. Discussions will address gaps within finance mechanisms and focus on how climate finance mechanisms and JETP frameworks can be made more accountable, transparent, and inclusive of youth and local communities. In 2024, the world added a record 582 GW of renewables. Yet, to reach the tripling goal of 11.2 TW by 2030, we now need to add 1,122 GW every year. That means doubling annual investment to at least USD 1.4 trillion per year until 2030. Around USD 670 billion per year is needed to connect new capacity and secure a reliable supply. Just transition is highly required with new green skills and jobs for the future generations (children & youth). A key objective is to co-develop practical accountability measures and ensure children and youth perspectives directly shape transition finance decisions.

Background

Article 57 of the Sharm el-Sheikh Implementation Plan and Paragraph 65 of the Glasgow Climate Pact encourage future COP Presidencies to organise annual climate forums contributing to the implementation of the Glasgow work programme on Action for Climate Empowerment These forums are intended to foster strong conversation between international youth and Parties.

This will be achieved by bringing together young leaders, policymakers, and experts to discuss how the transition to low-carbon economies must be just to ensure communities that are dependent on fossil fuels are not left behind with financial flows and operations that support equitable and sustainable development. Current investment mechanisms and JETP frameworks often exclude children and youth voices, specifically local perspectives. This session seeks to bridge the gap and create space for intergenerational dialogue between negotiators, policymakers, and youth leaders to co-develop and co-design accountability measures for climate finance on energy transition investments. Following up from the outcomes of COP29 and Bonn 62, where intergenerational equity, just transition, and finance mechanisms remained under-addressed, this discussion will center on youth-led solutions for an accessible, fair, and transparent transition process.

Objectives

• Advance intergenerational equity by embedding global energy transition frameworks, including JETPs, NDCs, and national energy policies, justice, transparency, and accountability mechanisms in climate negotiations.
• Support the inclusion of youth contributions in negotiations outcome and national implementation frameworks

Outcomes

• To encourage dialogue between youth and negotiators around strengthened collaboration between JETP partners, governments, and youth constituencies, with a focus on youth participation, energy justice principles, and long-term equity in the COP29 outcomes related to energy transition, finance, and Article 2.1(c).
• Youth-led call to action to disseminate YOUNGO’s work on the need for meaningful youth engagement in financial institutions and opportunities to get involved, linking intergenerational equity, energy, finance, and justice frameworks.

Preliminary Agenda

More information on ACE and Children & Youth events at COP 30 here: https://unfccc.int/ace/cop30