The event focused on developing proposals across four (4) thematic areas and featured the presence of Climate Activist Greta Thurnberg and Vanessa Nakete, as well as the Ministers attending PreCOP26 and COP26. 

It formed part of activities in preparation for the 2021 UN climate summit (COP26) in Glasgow, United Kingdom, where world leaders will resume negotiating the terms of reducing global greenhouse gas emissions and adapting to the climate crisis. 

Youth4Climate saw 400+ youth delegates from 189 countries convened to formulate a unified statement for climate action. It was a historic occasion and marked the first massive gathering of this nature since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The event was also the latest attempt to answer the question, "what exactly should meaningful youth participation be?” and highlighted the right of youth to be included and involved in decision-making processes in addressing the climate crisis at the local, national and multilateral levels.

The key calls made included:  complete eradication of fossil fuels by 2030; urgent just transition to renewable energy; transparent and accountable climate finance systems; capacity-building and finance for youth involvement in climate policymaking; and climate change integration into education curriculum. 

Nafesha and Deaney worked with the other delegates to make demands to governments and corporations based on four themes: driving ambition; sustainable recovery; non-state actors’ engagement; and climate-conscious society.

 Nafesha worked under the Youth Driving Ambition Working Group and Co-Facilitated the subgroup surrounding meaningful youth engagement at the National level. 

Commenting on her experience, Nafesha said, "As a young person from a region highly susceptible to the dangers of climate change, co-facilitating this discussion not only allowed me to understand the concerns of my global colleagues, but ensured that the specific needs of SIDS were represented. To this end, I was able to input a clause in the document regarding guaranteeing funding and resource mobilization for youth-led initiatives from SIDS and LDCs.” 

Deaney worked under the theme of non-state actors’ engagement, specifically within the group of Entrepreneurship. In this area, it was established that lack of knowledge transfer, capacity building, investment, access to data and technology and financial support were major issues hindering non-state actors from contributing meaningfully towards climate action projects. 

For Deaney the experience "made me realize that to fight climate change, we have to do so on a collective forefront.”

He added, "It was an even more exhilarating experience to represent SIDS on such a global platform to highlight our struggles, especially in such a time like this; this event marks a milestone for us here in SVG because now I am assured that there will be listening ears.” 

Nafesha and Deaney look forward to pushing more initiatives aimed at Climate education as well as Capacity building, and urges every youth to do their part and be involved in an Environmental Club or Movement within their community today.(Abridged version of a submission by the Youth Advocates.)