Poznan Negotiations - Making What Space for Children's Voices?
Children and a Changing Climate at the UNFCCC COP14, Poznan, Poland
As world leaders and scientists meet in Poland this week to hammer out the next stage of a global strategy to tackle climate change they would do well to listen to a few younger voices.
In the past year Children in a Changing Climate have been demonstrating the compelling practical reasons for involving children in climate change policy and practice. Not only do children and young people have a basic human right to be listened to in this debate, but in much of the developing world they are the best means of spreading new and important messages through their families and on into the wider community.
This week in Poznan Children in a Changing Climate partners will be at a number of important events presenting the latest research, policy guidance and the voices of children from rural and urban communities around the world.
CCC will present its work with children in Nepal producing participatory videos which explore how climate change is impacting their lives. The videos have been used by the children to advocate for local policy changes and to lobby their Government to ensure children's voices are heard in the formulation of Nepal's National Adaptation Programme of Action (NAPA).
A film, "Child Voices: Children of Nepal Speak Out on Climate Change Adaptation" showcasing the videos will be shown at the Development and Climate Day film festival in Poznan and at the Youth Forum for Climate Change Awareness in Kathmandu both on Dec. 6th.
Nurul, 16, from Indonesia won a competition to attend the Poznan conference. "The impact of climate change will affect our future and most importantly, children's futures. The children will be the first and the worst to experience the cause of climate change, especially children in tropical countries like mine. Realize that the actions you're doing now will impact your children's future. Our global environment situation is caused by the actions our parents did in the past. As residents of the earth we have a duty to make a difference and make everything right again. My voice represents the voices of children all around the world that will be in charge of the earth in the next generation. The future is in our hands. Every child has a voice to be heard!"
The choices made over the next ten days will have a far greater effect on today's generation of children and young people than they will on most of those attending next week's Poznan conference. Yet children are still not yet getting the voice they deserve in decisions taken to prepare for a dangerous and uncertain future.
If you're in Poznan, come along to.........
Growing together in a changing climate
Best practices & lessons learned from local child-led actions actions within the collective programmes of youth organizations, UN agencies & NGOs in many countries of the world. Friday December 5, 13:00-15:00.
Children in a Changing Climate: the Role Children Can Play
An International panel of speakers interspersed with video clips from El Salvador, Philippines and Nepal. Development and Climate Days, Sheraton Hotel, Saturday December 6, 11:00-12.30am.
Child Voices: Children of Nepal Speak Out on Climate Change
The Film will be screened at the Development and Climate Days Film Festival, Sheraton Hotel, December 6-7.
For more information about the Poznan COP14 negotiations visit the UNFCCC website
