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Conference of Youth 12
19 October 2016
Meeting

Young people will be gathering in Marrakech just before the UN Climate Change Conference in the Moroccan city (COP22, 7 - 18 November) to help support ambitious climate action and to highlight the role of youth in the effective implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement that will enter into force on 4 November.

The main focus of this year’s Conference of Youth (COY 12, 4-6 November) is on the role of education and capacity building in empowering young people to take action on climate change and to bring about positive change in society.

“Only by empowering youth in the various decision-making processes that a transition to low carbon and greater resilience require is climate protection possible. We are looking forward to provide a platform for young people at the location of COP22 to demonstrate the importance they have in climate action and to strengthen networks of African youth working on sustainability and low carbon development,” said Fadoua Brour, member of the Moroccan youth organization in charge of the Conference of Youth.

 Participants of the Conference of Youth COY 11 last year in Paris

Since 2005, the Conference of Youth has been held every year, a few days before the annual UN Climate Change Conferences. This year, it is organized by Moroccan youth organizations together with YOUNGO, the official non-governmental youth constituency of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in order to give youth a voice during the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the UNFCCC.

“The historic Paris Climate Change Agreement is about to enter into force, and as governments move to fine-tune and implement it, they need the full support of all sectors of society, not least of young people,” said Nick Nuttall, UNFCCC spokesperson.

The outcomes of the youth conference will be presented at the Young and Future Generations Day at COP 22 on 10 November, which is being organized by UNFCCC’s Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) team.

The UNFCCC promotes youth participation under its "Action for Climate Empowerment" (ACE) focus, which relates to education, training, public awareness, public participation, public access to information and international cooperation. The following ACE activities are planned for COP22:

  • Young and Future Generations day - 10 Nov 2016 (all day)
  • Inter-generational Inquiry “The highlight of the Young and Future Generations Day” - 10 Nov 2016 13:15-14:45
  • 2016 Global Youth Video Competition Award Ceremony - 10 Nov 2016 18:00 – 20:00
  • Youth Briefings
  • UN Youth Booth – Throughout the COP22
  • Education Day - 14 Nov 2016 (all day)
  • High-level Event: Education as a key driver to scale up climate action - 14 Nov 2016 13:15-14:45
  • UN Side Event on Climate Change Education - 14 Nov 2016 18:00 – 20:00

See here to find out more about the COY12 and here about the Young and Future Generations Day.