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Rabat – Global youth are taking a seat at the negotiations table in the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP) for the first time in history amid global political and economic instability.
With energy prices soaring and global food insecurity persisting partly due to the war in Ukraine, organizers say “global youth are uniting” to voice concerns of the vulnerable in COP 27 organized in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt from November 6 to 18.
This year, youth are being given their own pavilion at the heart of the negotiation space, known as the “Blue Zone.” The symbolic move comes at a time when some observers are warning of a reversal of climate progress amid an unbearable global food and energy crisis.
However, there is still hope for change despite the long list of unmet promises announced by countries and multinational corporations in previous editions of the climate conference.
The “African COP, more or less, Arab Cup” is expected to provide a voice and space to the global south, allowing youth to “prioritize the vulnerable” and discuss “climate inequality,” Coordinator of Children and Youth Pavilion Program at COP 27 Saad Uakkas told Morocco World News.
Moroccan climate activist Saad Uakkas
Saad Uakkas is the winner of the 2021 Diana Award and a long-serving activist who holds the position of Regional Coordinator for North Africa of the African Youth Initiative for Climate Change.
A voice for the vulnerable
The Moroccan climate activist argued that youth would act as a “motor for change” in this edition of COP, as young activists continue to remind countries and corporations of their duties towards the less fortunate.
“This year the space in here,” Uakkas told MWN, referring to the positioning of the youth pavilion in the decision-making hub, adding that youth can now advance “comprehensive innovative actions” and influence negotiations in favor of those that are not “prioritized.”
For African youth, “being there [COP 27] is a good start,” says Uakkas as he argued that having a seat at the table is a first step towards lobbying for the climate cause.
With youth making their debut in the blue zone, the Moroccan activist wishes that his peers would have a say in the negotiations that would take place this year. “Hopefully civil society diplomacy would be stronger this year,” he commented.
The conference could also be an opportunity to showcase Moroccan and African talent and build networks, Uakkas stated, naming COP as a step to unite youth and empower local communities through innovation, education, and fundraising.
Moroccan delegation to COP 27
According to Uakkas, the COP would allow budding climate-focused organizations in Morocco, such as the Youth for Climate Morocco, to build regional and global partnerships while supporting local eco-friendly actions and raising awareness about the repercussions of climate change.
This year, Morocco also expects to send a youth delegation to the UN climate conference for the first time ever. The delegation plans to include more than 12 Moroccan climate activists.
Group picture from joint workshop organized by Youth for Climate Morocco and Heinrich Boll Stiftung
Despite facing difficulties to secure funding for the delegation, Uakkas confirmed to MWN that the delegation will represent Morocco at COP 27, adding that the Moroccan Ministry of Energy Transition agreed to provide technical support to the delegation ahead of the conference.
What is on their COP agenda?
According to Uakkas, the Moroccan delegation along with other global representatives plan to discuss three main topics; climate finance, climate adaptation, and climate loss and damage.
As the war in Ukraine accelerates the energy transition in Europe through numerous national and regional initiatives such as REPowerEU, many African countries that have abundant solar and wind resources are lacking money to develop national or regional clean energy infrastructures. This calls for urgent climate financing initiatives directed to the global south.
In 2009, developed countries promised to deliver $100 billion to developing nations in an effort to support climate mitigation efforts amongst the most vulnerable communities. However, the Copenhagen pledge issued at COP 15 remains unmet. Therefore, this promise is likely to be at the center of the Sharm El Sheikh event as a global economic recession is approaching.
According to the UN, “Experts expect COP27 to actually make this pledge a reality finally, in 2023.” If the forecasts become a reality, the current edition is expected to provide a possible turning point for Africa and small islands.
While climate financing is key in developing global green solutions, many countries are expected to introduce measures to adapt to the negative effects and irreversible “losses and damages” caused by climate change. These damages feature in the form of food insecurity, water shortages, and lost yields. They are also expected to cause the displacement of millions of people over the coming years.
In Morocco, an estimate of 1.9 million people are predicted to internally migrate by 2050 due to climate conditions.
In this context, polluting countries and corporations must take responsibility to support and compensate developing countries given their low contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. According to converging reports, Africa, as a whole, is only responsible for 4% of global emissions while being highly impacted by severe droughts, floods, and famine.
With the exception of Denmark, other developed countries continue to turn a blind eye to the potentially disastrous consequences of climate change in the global south.
In September, Denmark announced it would provide $13 million to developing countries impacted by climate change. The initiative is a first but the dedicated budget remains vastly insufficient to compensate for global losses and damages.
Carbon market, climate goals
In addition to the previously discussed climate measures, the development and regularization of the carbon trade are likely to be discussed during bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the two-week-long event.
The concept of carbon trading, covered in the 1997 Kyoto Protocol, reinforces a framework aiming to reduce emissions while allowing companies to maintain their economic activities.
In summary, companies and countries that exceed the agreed-upon limit of emissions must purchase extra carbon credits from less polluting countries or companies, generating additional profit for climate-responsible actors.
In the long term, the rising price of carbon credits is expected to push companies and countries to adopt low-carbon production systems and potentially reach net zero. The carbon market is currently operational but experts have been arguing that the low carbon credit prices are not enough to tackle climate change.
Read Also: Singapore in Talks with Morocco to Buy Carbon Credits, Meet Climate Goals
Strength in unity
The climate measures, discussed and adopted, in the previous COP summits highlight the need for global and unified action to limit climate change. The call for action echoes the young activists’ message of unity and solidarity.
While it remains uncertain if the conference will bring any valuable change that favors developing countries, children and youth embody hope for positive change in times of uncertainty and instability.
