“We (youth) are here this time to watch closely our government delegates. We are following them, listening what they are saying at the UN Climate Change conference. We are waiting for decisions, actions to protect our planet and we care for it,” said Kim Teplipzky, a Canadian student, echoing the voice of over one hundred youth summiteers at the fifth floor of the majestic Palais des Congres Centre historic city of Montreal braving minus nine degree Celsius temperature. Climate change is real, said US youth Alden Gline, 18, who along with other international youth called upon their governments to protect the earth from climate change, according to the “Our Climate, Our Challenge, Our Future – International Youth Declaration released in Montréal” on November 28 at the closing of a five-day International Youth Summit on Climate Change.

Opened by Stephane Dion, Canadian Environment Minister of Canada, the summit incorporated presentations on topics ranging from bleaching of coral reefs and melting of glaciers, to presentations from experts on specific areas of the Kyoto Protocol. Emphasizing the urgent need of actions to face climate change, he said “we know that the longer we wait the larger will be the challenge”, at the summit of the youth of the world. Sammy Watson, the Deputy Minister for the Environment, accepted the declaration on behalf of the Conference President, to close the Summit. The Summit was held at Environment Canada’s Biosphere Museum.

Stephane Dion, Canadian Environment Minister and President of the 11th session of conference of parties (COP 11) of The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), while opening the session, also reminded the delegates of COP 11 of the call of the youths who in their declaration, reaffirmed their commitment to protect the climate and demanded that governments follow their lead.

Since I landed in minus temperature in this historic city where Montreal Protocol was signed in 1992 to phase out ozone depleting substances, I found in two weeks none who is not in favour of taking urgent and immediate actions to combat climate change. Imagine, how I had to adjust myself coming from Bangladesh having 24 degrees of temperature. How the Africans had to adjust from their over 50 degrees temperature. It was a real shock to so many visiting delegates to adjust with a very different weather of Montreal where we were greeted by snowfalls.

“As youth, we have the right to shape the world we live in. We are already taking steps in our own lives and communities to realize our vision and we demand that our leaders do the same,” states the youth declaration.

The countries represented in the summit may have widely varied, but the message was united, and one of the strongest statements of concern given to governments by a group of international youth to date.

Among their demands, youth called for a permanent, funded youth body to give them a voice at the international negotiations; minimum binding emissions reduction targets of 30 per cent by 2020 and 80 per cent by 2050 for developed countries; and implored governments for a just transition to a low-impact renewable energy future.

“Youh Declaration, which calls for the creation of a youth constituency within the international climate change regime must become a reality, as an imperative for ensuring that the voices of youth are heard” said Emmanuel Korbla, youth participant from Ghana.


The youth came from across the globe and variety of backgrounds, including political science, environmental studies, architecture, engineering, law and economics.

“The passion and energy of the Summit Team is phenomenal,” says Claire Stockwell, the Summit Organizer from ENvironnement JEUnesse a Quebec-based youth environmental NGO. “Not only have these youth been able to write a powerful declaration, but they have formed the bonds that will further build and reinforce youth engagement to protect the climate.”

26 delegates from the Summit are now attending the two-week UN Conference which will be ended on December 9.

The youth declaration will formally be presented to the Ministerial Segment of the Conference next week where Bangladesh Environment Minister Tariqul Islam along with over 100 ministers from developing and developed countries and 10,000 delegates are scheduled to join to come up with a futurist agenda for action to face climate change.

“We are the ones who are going to have to bare the brunt of climate change impacts,” says Jessica Thiessen, 22, the founder of the Arctic Council Youth Network from the Yukon. “This Summit shows that youth everywhere are already involved in climate protection. We are doing our part and we ask governments at the UN Climate Change Conference to do theirs,” says Catherine Mulinde, 23, a PhD student from Uganda.

These youths pledged to compel their governments to take actions. But, the beauty of the youth summit, was their own commitments to take actions by themselves at their individual and household levels. They have also chalked out an elaborate programme to launch campaigns including rallies, exhibitions, workshops, training, press events and ‘fossil of the day’ award.