Share your view to influence policy on Climate Change

May 16, 2008 in Enviroment, Life, UN, Youth, Youth participation

What comes into your mind when you hear the word “Bali”? A warm and fancy tourist place in Indonesia with sand beaches and clear water; the terrible bombings in October 2002 leaving 202 people dead; or climate change? Well, non of the answers would be wrong, but this is blog is about climate change. In December 2007 the United Nations convened a Climate Change conference in Bali as a follow up on the Kyoto Protocol 10 years earlier. One of the main issues was to decide upon a roadmap for a future international agreement on Climate Change after the Kyoto Protocol will run out in 2012. Hundreds of Government and NGO representatives took part at that conference.

Now, what does it all have to do with us, the youth? Aren’t the decision makers not listening to us anyways?

Well, there are some youth who think they should not stand aside but somehow take action. and one kind of action is to get informed and start a conversation. This is why the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in collaboration with TakingITGlobal launched an e-consulation on “Climate Change and Youth”. You can just log on and participate. All you need to do to click here and join the OECD-Climate group on TakingITGlobal. You can also e-mail OECD-Climate-subscribe@tiggroups.org

The consultation already started in the beginning of May but it is not yet too late to respond to the newest questions:

1. Do you feel that international cooperation on climate change is important? Why or why not?
2. Do you think your country should play a leading role in creating a new international agreement to tackle climate change? What sort of contribution should your country make? (for example, should your country agree to binding emissions-reduction targets or should it only commit to voluntary actions?)
3. Do you feel your country is fully participating in the Kyoto Protocol and respecting the commitments it has made in the past?
4. What roles should young people play in the international process? How can young people better support international cooperation on climate change?
5. How can YOUTH cooperate internationally to have a bigger impact? What would a global youth climate change movement look like and how would it serve youth?

Sign on and join a global youth movement that is interested to learn what stands behind “Climate Change” and wants to speak up representing those who will still live on this planet when most of today’s decision makers are gone!

And don’t forget to check Emily Davila’s blog to learn more about the Bali conference!