Youth activists press for climate and humanitarian action at COP26

​Considering the vital role of youth in the fight against climate change, COP26 dedicated the sixth day of the event (November 5) to Youth and Public Empowerment — elevating the voice of young people and demonstrating the critical role of public empowerment and education in climate action. The Children and Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (YUNGO) opened the session as co-chair for the day.

The day consisted of several actions involving young people, including Youth4Climate – an event conducted by the UK and Italy in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) – and Mock COP. During the event, a declaration was released from the Education and Environment Ministers Summit – Learn for our planet, Act for the climate – seeking changes in school curriculums to prepare young people for a world impacted by climate change. The declaration also formalized commitments to collaborate and invest in education for a sustainable future, recognizing the impacts of climate change on education in developing countries. More than 23 countries announced commitments related to the agenda, which will be reviewed at the next COP.

On the same day, more than 25,000 young activists took to the streets of Glasgow in a demonstration organized by the Fridays for Future movement. In a speech, Greta Thunberg, one of the event’s organizers, remarked that “The COP has turned into a PR event.”

Brazilian Representation

The Brazilian movement Coalizão Negra por Direitos (Black Coalition for Rights) released a letter titled Para controle do aquecimento do planeta – desmatamento zero: titular as terras quilombolas é desmatamento zero. Via this document, about 250 Brazilian entities call for measures against environmental racism, reducing global warming, zero deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon, Cerrado, Atlantic and Caatinga forest regions, and registering quilombola lands and territories as a strategy against deforestation.

For further information on COP26, see the specialized content developed by Mattos Filho’s Environmental Law and Climate Change practice area:

• Fashion industry renews commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions
• Nature and Land Use Day marked by new agriculture commitments
• Brazil’s state governors launch ‘Consórcio Brasil Verde’
• New international commitment seeks to cut methane gas emissions
• Brazil announces new greenhouse gas emissions goal
• Discussions on new climate finance initiatives progress at COP26
• New international agreement for preserving forests endorsed at COP26

*With the collaboration of Maria Eduarda Garambone, Anna Carolina Gandolfi, Mariana Diel e Gabriel Pereira Bispo de Oliveira.