COP28 Will Be a COP of Action
"COP28 will be a COP of Action, a COP for all and a COP of solidarity, unity and impact. Youth inclusion and empowerment are incredibly important. Young people have a unique perspective on the climate crisis and have grown up in a world where climate change is already affecting their daily lives. They are acutely aware of the urgent need for action," says Ragy Saro, Program Manager for the COP28 Youth Climate Champion (YCC) team. The Youth Climate Champion is the link between the COP Presidency and the youth stakeholders, optimizing the coordination of youth between governments and the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change). It is responsible for integrating youth participation and voices into the COP28 process, and mobilizing substantive youth input and policy outcomes. The YCC also plays a crucial role in strengthening formal engagement mechanisms and platforms, and facilitating the sharing of well-structured policy proposals by global youth representatives.
"As YCC, we take steps to ensure a sustained commitment to youth engagement, not only by the COP presidency but also in the years to come, ensuring a lasting impact on the climate negotiations. It goes beyond immediate results, and focuses on capturing and harnessing best practices, lessons learned and accumulated knowledge, thus improving the overall effectiveness of youth participation. YCC works through the PAVE strategy, which covers four key pillars along the entire chain of youth engagement in international decision-making: Participation, Action, Voice and Education," Saro explains.
In this regard, for Saro, training with EMMIO and obtaining his Executive Master in Management of International Organisations at SDA Bocconi was decisive. "The Master program has added a lot of value to my professional career. It has broadened my ways of thinking beyond day-to-day development work. The way the program is structured allowed me to step out of my comfort zone. It has provided me with a number of different possibilities to deal with existing challenges and anticipate future ones. It also gave me access to a number of tools and resources that I still use today. Personally, it has allowed me to connect with a diverse community that has become indispensable to me. The EMMIO alumni network consists of over 150 professionals from more than 65 different countries. This is a wealth of expertise that I can count on for years to come."
Saro is optimistic about the role of young people at the upcoming COP in Dubai: "Youth has taken a leading role in influencing and supporting climate-responsible behavior, using their voices to demand tangible changes. Their efforts go beyond individual actions, as they actively push governments and businesses to address climate issues. Furthermore, young people are at the forefront of green entrepreneurship and technological innovation, initiating independent projects that contribute to sustainable practices. Through their efforts, they do not limit themselves to rhetoric, but actively engage in climate action on the ground, embodying a proactive and impactful approach to shaping a more sustainable future."