United Nations Day 2022 - Youth Driving Ambition for Climate Action

At the center of Climate Action, Youth are Agents of Change. The past decades have seen a proliferation of climate- and environment-related events and disasters that have had an adverse effect on people and the planet. The increased intensity of these occurrences has been felt across all continents in one form or another. Whether it is the current drought in the Horn of Africa, Madagascar and parts of the Middle East, flooding in Asia, wildfires, and extreme temperatures in GCC, Europe, Pakistan, India, Australia, and the Americas.

Today, the global population of young people aged 15 to 24 years stands at 1.2 billion and is expected to grow by 7 per cent by 2030. This puts this population at the center of all efforts aimed at reducing the adverse impacts of climate change, since science predicts the same will be the generations that will face the peak of climate impacts even with a successful temperature cap at 1.5°C.

This makes youth-particularly women and girls one of the most significant non-state actors in the region in terms of numbers: prioritizing their intrinsic abilities, creativity, skills, and talents to drive climate action while unlocking opportunities for them. Here in Kuwait country Officer, we witnessed this firsthand. In 2021, around the same time of the year, the UN in Kuwait identified inspiring youth initiatives, projects, and activities with great impact. The UN Day Celebrations was an opportunity to highlight, reveal and recognize youth efforts, community led initiatives, achievements, and innovative solutions driving ambitious engagements towards climate change and climate policy planning, design, implementation and evaluation at multilateral, national and local level with an enabling environment, at all levels including people with disabilities and with the contribution of the International Community. UN DAY 2021 Reporting 2022, through key forums such as the UN Day celebrations, the UN and partners shall offer youth with opportunities to provide concrete contributions, voices and recommendations that need to be translated into actions at national level. While also highlighting disaster risk reduction within climate change adaptation, community-based models, consultations, focus groups and the need for communication and raising awareness. Kuwait is currently confronted with a series of climate challenges – the country is known for its harsh climate, hot weather, and 5 frequent sandstorms, all of which pose serious health threats to its citizens and are further associated with unfavorable dynamics in socioeconomic activities.

Youth Driving Ambition 4 Climate and Projecting Progress represents an opportunity for the United Nations and other vital partners to continue the dialogue with the people of Kuwait with a vast platform for impactful messaging and lasting engagement. Together we will mobilize collective resources to harness, confront global climate emergency.