The UAE has established a unique model for empowering youth to lead climate action locally and participate in international efforts. The country has provided all necessary resources to enhance their role and contributions toward achieving sustainable development goals, believing in the importance of youth's role in building a sustainable future.
The UAE has launched various initiatives and programs to engage youth in climate action and enhance the environment's importance as a priority for them. These efforts align with the goals of the "National Sustainability Campaign," recently launched in preparation for hosting the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28), which will be held from November 30 to December 12 this year at Expo City Dubai. COP28 will feature innovative youth ideas that will enrich the conference's agenda, offer sustainable global solutions, and support efforts to fulfill the world’s commitments for future generations.
COP28 will serve as an active platform for youth from around the world, especially from the Arab region, to share their views and suggestions on climate change and mitigating its effects. The conference aims to be inclusive of all groups, raising ambitions by shifting the world from setting goals to implementing them on topics such as "mitigation," "adaptation," "finance," and "loss and damage."
Youth Climate Leader
The UAE believes in the crucial role of youth in global climate action and has thus provided significant spaces for them at COP28 to voice their concerns during and after the event.
The creation of the role of "Youth Climate Leader" by the UAE, for the first time in the history of the Conference of the Parties, places young people at the heart of the event. It presents the UAE model that empowers youth to lead global climate action. H.E. Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei, Minister of Community Development and Vice President of the Arab Youth Center, has been appointed as the Youth Climate Leader for COP28 to ensure that the voices of youth are heard and that their skills and capabilities are prioritized.
Shamma bint Suhail Al Mazrouei works with relevant parties inside and outside the UAE to support youth, create more opportunities for them, and establish mechanisms to fund youth innovations in climate action.
Her appointment reflects the recognition of the importance of empowering young people and activating their crucial role in climate action, leveraging the innovative skills of nearly two billion youth worldwide.
The Road to COP28
The first event of "The Road to COP28," held in March in Dubai Expo City and led by youth, reflects the firm belief in the importance of innovative youth ideas in enriching the conference's agenda and enhancing their participation in shaping global climate policies.
Youth leadership at the first event of "The Road to COP28" demonstrates the UAE's commitment to supporting regional and global platforms with the energies and potentials of young people. The event provided an inspiring platform to highlight their important role in addressing climate change, as well as their innovative ideas and initiatives that will enhance the global climate action journey.
The event aimed to educate and empower youth aged 15 to 35 to understand and address climate change, in collaboration with Expo's school programs, while raising awareness among all segments of society through its diverse activities.
The event featured a series of youth dialogues, discussions, workshops, and sustainability initiatives, as well as the launch of key initiatives to support youth participation in global climate negotiations and strengthen youth-led organizations and networks in the global climate community.
International Youth Climate Delegates Program
The presidency of COP28 launched the International Youth Climate Delegates Program to empower youth to participate effectively in the conference, in line with the UAE leadership's vision to prioritize youth empowerment.
The program seeks to elevate the voices of young people worldwide and present their diverse perspectives at the conference. It provides opportunities for 100 young people, mostly from least-developed countries and small island developing states, to participate in climate negotiations and relevant public-private partnership initiatives. The program also aims to meet the needs of indigenous peoples and minority groups by offering financial support and capacity-building training to selected youth delegates.
To incorporate the perspectives and suggestions of young people in global climate policy-making, the program supports skill development, knowledge sharing, and youth networks, especially in countries most vulnerable to climate change. It provides a model for youth inclusion in the COP process, creating a sustainable and equitable framework for enhancing youth participation in future Conferences of the Parties for the benefit of future generations.
The 100 delegates will also follow the negotiation process for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change throughout the year, gathering inputs and common objectives from their countries and contributing to the strategic plan and political vision for COP28. Some delegates will also be invited to participate in key climate events, including the COP28 preparatory meetings in October and the UN Climate Weeks.
In collaboration with the UAE Youth Climate Leader team and the Federal Youth Authority, the UAE's Special Envoy for Climate Change Office launched the first edition of the UAE Youth Climate Delegates Program.
The program embodies the UAE government’s vision of creating a global model of an Emirati youth leader who takes a leading role in climate action decision-making, sustainable development, and ensuring maximum youth participation in delegations, organization, and formal discussions during COP28.
The program aims to incorporate youth opinions and needs into international climate policy, discover the latest practices, create sustainable, proactive solutions to climate change impacts, and support professional development. It also seeks to build skills, knowledge, and youth communication to participate in climate methodologies, encouraging dialogue and innovation to raise awareness of their vital role in achieving the UAE's sustainable development goals and shaping a unique model for youth participation in COP28.
University Climate Network
The "University Climate Network" was also launched to encourage youth participation in COP28. The network includes 23 top higher education institutions in the UAE and supports the country's goal of fostering inclusivity in the conference's framework. This initiative inspires youth participation and prepares them to lead climate action.
The network mobilizes youth efforts through constructive dialogue to support the COP28 leadership team’s agenda. It also reflects the role of universities as incubators of future generations, nurturing innovation and providing platforms for youth to raise their voices and contribute to discussions on policies that are most critical to their needs.
Arab Youth Climate Council
The Arab Youth Center established the Arab Youth Climate Council in 2021 to create a regional platform that enhances Arab youth engagement with environmental issues. It supports Arab strategies related to the environment and climate change and contributes to developing young thought leaders and innovators in climate action.
The council aims to empower Arab youth with the necessary skills to address climate challenges, represent their voices in regional and international environmental forums, and support Arab countries in strengthening climate action efforts. It also provides strategic recommendations to decision-makers in the Arab world, proposing effective solutions in partnership with public and private sectors, and encouraging investment in startups and small projects related to environmental protection, climate change mitigation, and sustainability.
The council launched a foundational educational program titled "Climate Change ABCs" to educate and raise awareness among Arab youth about the major risks of climate change and environmental threats from a regional perspective. This intensive course is available for free in Arabic, English, and French.
To date, more than 5,000 young people from 42 countries have completed the course. It focuses on increasing Arab youth’s understanding of the climate change challenge and ways to contribute to addressing it, offering solutions through an understanding of climate change, its causes such as greenhouse gases responsible for global warming, and evaluating our human impact on the rate of change to our planet’s climate.
Youth Climate Action Network
In 2022, the Arab Youth Center also launched the "Youth Climate Action Network" to engage Arab youth around the world in activities and programs related to climate action and sustainability
