Conference of Youth (COY)

YOUNGO as the official children and youth constituency of UNFCCC runs various formats of Conference of Youth (COY) to empower youth and formally bring their voices to the UNFCCC processes to shape the intergovernmental climate change policies.

The four major components of the Conference of Youth are:

  1. Policy Document;
  2. Capacity Building;
  3. Skill-building Workshops; and
  4. Cultural Exchange.

In order to strive for universal accessibility, true inclusion and diversity, YOUNGO organizes the following COYs: 

  • Global COY (GCOY) is the biggest and most substantial youth conference related to the multilateral UN climate processes. It is the official gathering of YOUNGO members and all interested youth and it happens a couple of days before the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) at the same location. GCOY serves as a space for capacity building and policy training, in order to prepare young people for their participation at COP. GCOY also brings together all collected inputs, which will feed directly into the climate negotiations via the official youth policy paper.
    More information about the GCOY can be found here: (link coming soon)
  • Virtual COY (vCOY) is the virtual space where the global youth community facing different barriers such as lack of travel funds, visa restrictions, age barriers or due to environmental considerations comes together. vCOY ensures the voices of less privileged, vulnerable, marginalized, refugee and Indigenous groups are adequately heard and represented. All inputs are feed into the final policy document. 
    More information about the vCOY can be found here: (link coming soon)
  • Regional COYs (RCOY) and Local COYs (LCOY) are organized prior to the GCOY across the world, in order to localize the climate conversation and gather more inputs from the ground. RCOYs and LCOYs discuss and develop respective outputs, which feed into national and regional climate policy making as well into GCOY and consequently into the climate negotiations.
    More information about the LCOY can be found here: https://www.lcoy.earth
COY16 Logo

COY16, 2021

28–31 October 2021, Glasgow, United Kingdom

In 2021, COY was in its 16th year and is dubbed as the largest and longest running youth event to date; gathering thousands of young changemakers from more than 140 countries. More >>

Read the Global Youth Statement here.

COY15, 2019

29 November–01 December 2019, Madrid, Spain

COY15 served as a preparation session of youth NGOs to develop position papers, network and meet new members, and hold strategic discussions on climate change solutions.

COY14, 2018

28 November–01 December 2018, Katowice, Poland

COY14 was organized by young volunteers and aimed to empower young people in Climate Justice, Climate Policy and Sustainable Development through a multilingual programme consisting of methodological sessions and related content.

COY13, 2017

November 2017, Bonn, Germany

The Conference of Youth took place during the weekend before the opening of COP23. The event is an annual international meeting of young persons eager to work on solving climate challenges. The conference is an official event of YOUNGO.

COY12, 2016

4–6 November 2016, Marrakech, Morocco

Young people gathered in Marrakech to strengthen the role of youth in the implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The focus of COY12 was on the role of education and capacity building in empowering young people to take action on climate change. More >>


COY11, 2015

26–28 November 2015, Paris, France

COY11 addressed more than 5000 young participants from around the world. This unprecedented event was an excellent opportunity to show a youth massively mobilized, inclusive, capable and responsible at the historic Paris climate summit. More >>


COY 10, 2014

28–30 November 2014, Lima, Peru

COY10 established a space of coordination and organization for the world’s youth in order to develop the youth climate agenda. More >>

  

COY 9, 2013

7–10 November 2013, Warsaw, Poland

COY9 sought to build the capacity of young people for their effective engagement in the UNFCCC process through targeted policy inputs and advocacy activities.

COY 8, 2012

22–25 November 2012, Doha, Qatar

COY 8 demonstrated the instrumental role YOUNGO plays at the UNFCCC through policy creation, interventions, actions and lobbying; exemplifying the importance of youth: their creativity, passion and dedication for solving climate change.

 
Content