First Edition of LCOY Morocco Engages Youth in Climate Action

Rabat – The UM6P’s Green Universities for Sustainability (GUS) club is organizing the first edition of the 2022 Local Conference of Young Morocco (LCOY), an event that brings together young climate change activists. The event, which is taking place between August 12 and 14 at the Mohammed VI Polytechnic University Faculty of Governance, Economics and Social Sciences, seeks to empower youth and build their capacity for climate action.

According to the event’s organizers, LCOY Morocco aims “to fight for a cause we all share”: climate change, as well as contribute to “the awakening of the global commitment” to combat this prevailing issue.

In an interview with Morocco World News, the founder of GUS Houyame Hakmi said: “the main outcome of our event is drafting a youth statement,” explaining that the LCOY Morocco brought together young people from across Morocco to discuss solutions for climate change, which will be drafted in the youth statement.

The statement, which reflects the demands of Moroccan youth, will be shared with Morocco’s Ministry of Energy Transition and Sustainable Development and the Ministry of Minister of Higher Education, Scientific Research and Innovation, Hakmi added.

Youth in action

On a global scale, the Moroccan youth statement will then be submitted to YOUNGO, the Children and Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC), Hakmi indicated. She added that the statement will be discussed at the international conference of youth, which will take place in Egypt ahead of COP 27, the UN Climate Change Conference.

Following the conference, a global statement would be drafted, reflecting “the demands of the youth from all over the world,” the GUS’ founder indicated, adding that the statement will be presented to the COP 27 president, as well as world leaders.

Hanae El Kraid, president of the GUS told Morocco World News: “I am looking forward to delivering a solid youth statement and to have the voice of youth heard and taken into consideration in the UN climate negotiations.” “We can be the change we expect in the world,” she said.

Speaking at the LCOY Morocco opening ceremony, Khalid Chegraoui, Vice-Dean of the Faculty of Governance, Economics, and Social Sciences at UM6P said: “We are paying the price of past mistakes, and we are still making mistakes.” But Chegraoui is proud “to see young people pose and tackle important questions related to climate change.”

Urging young people to contribute to climate action, Ayoub Taouti, Communication Officer at Kas-Remena (the Regional Program Energy Security and Climate Change Middle East and North Africa) said: “How can we imagine living in a world haunted by climate change?”

Going green

Speaking at the event’s keynote speech, Said Chakri, a Moroccan environment expert, said: “It is great to see young people engaged in climate change in Morocco … this is a long-awaited moment,” urging youth to scale up their efforts and accelerate climate action.

According to Chakri, the energy transition is a pathway toward limiting climate change, saying that the world needs to take “urgent” action and replace fossil fuels with low-carbon energy sources.

“We are no longer in a phase of climate change,” Chakri stressed, explaining that the world is currently going through a “climate crisis” that affects all aspects of human life, including politics, the environment, health, and security.

Chakri also highlighted the negative impact population growth has on the environment, which, alongside increasing consumption, worsens the effects of climate change by straining resources.

Chakri warned against Morocco’s alarming energy consumption saying: “If we do not stop, we will reach a bad scenario of no coming back … it will be too late to react.” He called for stabilizing gas concentrations and following the recommendations of climate change accords, including the Paris Agreement.

Calling for intergenerational solidarity, Ismail Aboulam, an environment expert and CEO of Cabinet Sadura, encouraged young people’s participation in decision-making regarding climate change policies. “Young people are the victim of mistakes of past generations,” he noted, calling on the young “to not remain in the place of the victim” and to take action to take control over their future.

“You are a revolution, an innovation, and a strength, in terms of both quality and quantity,” Aboulam said, arguing that the young generation has a key role in bringing social, economic, and political reform.

According to Boualem, achieving successful sustainable energy heavily depends on the success of energy transition, which in turn would be a crucial enabler of climate resilience.