NEW YORK CITY August 19th, 2020 - To commemorate International Youth Day last Wednesday, March For Science (MFS) and YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, co-hosted the MFS Global Youth Forum - in partnership with EarthX, Peace Boat, and PVBLIC Foundation - which highlighted some of the world’s most impactful youth leaders and built support for the SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE campaign.
The event began with the announcement that YOUNGO was formally joining SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE as an official organizing partner, calling on their global membership to demand that their respective governments publicly champion the IPCC 1.5C Special Report and call for its passage at COP26 next November. The SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE campaign, which was launched by March For Science, Island Resilience Partnership, and the government of the Independent State of Samoa in Madrid at the conclusion of COP25, calls on governments to publicly support the IPCC 1.5C Special Report’s passage at COP26, raise their climate goals to reflect the science and urgency of the report, and create scalable cross-sector partnerships to achieve success.
“YOUNGO is calling on governments around the world to unite behind the science and formally welcome the IPCC 1.5C Report at COP26 in Glasgow next November,” said Heeta Lakhani, YOUNGO Focal Point for the Global South. “This landmark report has been blocked at COP24 and COP25 from being formally adopted and used to inform international climate change negotiations. This is unacceptable.”
During the forum, H.E. Ambassador Lois Young, Permanent Representative of Belize to the United Nations and Chair of the Association of Small Island States (AOSIS), participated in a discussion about the importance of the SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE campaign and AOSIS’ significant advocacy role in the original commissioning of the 1.5C report. At the conclusion of her interview, she made this announcement:
“AOSIS endorses the SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE campaign,” Ambassador Young proclaimed. “We will join officially as a partner, along with YOUNGO, to publicly champion the passage of IPCC 1.5C degree report heading into COP26.”
Aside from the major partnership announcements, the MFS Global Youth Forum highlighted youth leaders from around the world who are spearheading transformative change. All seven members of the UN Secretary General’s recently launched Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change were interviewed during the forum, representing the seven UN regions of the world. Those leaders included Paloma Costa (Brazil), Nisreen Elsaim (Sudan), Ernest Gibson (Fiji), Vladislav Kaim (Moldova), Sophia Kianni (United States), Nathan Méténier (France), and Archana Soreng (India).
Along with special remarks provided by UN Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth Ms. Jayathma Wickramanayake, and UNFCCC Executive Secretary Ms. Patricia Espinosa, the Global Youth Forum also featured young advocates on the front lines of the climate crisis who were leading impact-driven campaigns, initiatives, and solutions. Those youth leaders included Xiye Bastida (Mexico), Shafira Charlette (Seychelles), Mareeka Dookie (Trinidad and Tobago), Jean Hinchliffe (Australia), and Aman Sharma (India). Critical campaigns were highlighted like the Escazu Agreement, a new treaty that deepens the link between environmental protection and human rights in Latin America and the Caribbean, and All In For Climate Action, which has launched youth-led petitions in more than 90 countries to declare national climate emergencies. Each speaker concluded their remarks with calls-to-action, further mobilizing support around their efforts across the globe.
At the conclusion of the Global Youth Forum, March For Science and YOUNGO announced the creation of the MFS Global Ambassadors Network, a community of young leaders from around the world who’ll be given access to a collaboration platform designed by social scientists to cultivate generalized reciprocity and foster meaningful partnerships.
“In the midst of this pandemic, social movements must adapt their organizing efforts so we can more effectively collaborate and leverage our respective strengths to have a meaningful impact,” said Matt Tranchin, President of March For Science. “The MFS Global Ambassadors network - powered by YOUNGO - is how we intend to support young people addressing global challenges on the front lines. By breaking down silos and incentivizing support, young advocates can more effectively and efficiently add value to one another. We must give them the tools and resources to achieve success on behalf of us all.”
Supporting the SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE campaign will be the signature initiative of the MFS Global Ambassadors network, but its focus will be actively supporting the organizations and initiatives of its members.
“Young leaders must work with their governments to secure public support for the 1.5C Special Report so that COP26 does not have the same shameful fate,” said Marie-Claire Graf, YOUNGO Focal Point for the Global North. “The partners of the SC1.5NCE Not SILENCE campaign hope that advocates around the world share the MFS Global Ambassadors application with their networks and interested youth leaders. Our time to act is now.”
All applicants must be members of YOUNGO (sign up here), since it's critical that youth leaders actively participate in international climate change negotiations. Once a YOUNGO member, applicants can submit an application to become a Global Youth Ambassador at https://bit.ly/AmbassadorNetwork. The deadline for the MFS Global Ambassadors application will be September 30th. Please email Chet Monday, March For Science’s Director of Youth Engagement, at chet@marchforscience.com if you have any further questions.
About AOSIS:
AOSIS is a coalition of 44 small island and low-lying coastal developing states, including five observers. As a voice for the vulnerable, its mandate is more than amplifying marginalized voices as it also advocates for these countries’ interests.
If you would like more information on AOSIS, contact Jabal Hassanali at media@aosis.org. Sign up to our media subscription form to receive the latest AOSIS news and follow us on Twitter @AOSISChair
About March For Science:
March For Science is a global community of science supporters committed to building a more sustainable, just world. Our mission is to mobilize advocates across the globe in support of evidence-based, science-informed public policies.
If you would like more information on March For Science, contact Matt Tranchin at tranchin@marchforscience.com and follow us on Twitter @MarchForScience
About YOUNGO:
YOUNGO is the Youth Constituency of the UNFCCC. It consists of youth-led organizations, groups, delegations, and individuals working in climate change-related fields. YOUNGO runs various Working Groups focused on specific aspects of climate change within the UNFCCC negotiations while ensuring that perspectives of young and future generations are taken into account in the multilateral decision-making processes.
If you would like more information on YOUNGO, contact Heeta Lakhani at heeta.lakhani@unmgcy.org / Marie-Claire Graf at marie-claire.graf@unmgcy.org and follow us on Twitter @IYCM
