BAKU: At COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, young climate leaders are amplifying their calls for meaningful inclusion in global climate negotiations. Despite their innovative solutions and unique perspectives, many youth-led initiatives continue to face barriers such as underfunding and tokenism. Advocates on the ground are clear: climate action cannot succeed without fully integrating the voices of the generation that will live with its consequences.

Children as climate stakeholders

Catarina Lorenzo, a 16-year-old Youth Climate Champion, emphasizes the critical need for young people to be involved in decision-making processes. “Children are among the most vulnerable groups, yet their voices are often excluded,” Lorenzo says. She highlights the unique perspectives that children bring to the table, including an innate connection to nature and firsthand experiences of climate impacts such as floods and school disruptions.

Lorenzo points to a concerning statistic: only 2 percent of global philanthropic investments in development directly benefit children, despite their making up a third of the world’s population. “We need concrete actions,” she asserts, calling for greater investment and a dedicated youth and children-focused section in national contributions to climate goals. While she acknowledges an increase in youth presence at COP events compared to earlier years, she stresses that their voices remain sidelined during key negotiations.

Progress amid tokenism

While initiatives like the COP29 Youth Delegates Program, led by Presidency Youth Climate Champion Leyla Hasanova, aim to train young people in policy-making and technical advocacy, gaps in meaningful inclusion persist. Youth advocate Yitong Li recognizes a growing interest in youth participation but criticizes the tokenistic nature of many engagements.

“There’s more interest in involving young people, but it’s often superficial,” says Li, referencing instances where youth demands were disregarded, such as the controversy surrounding the creation of a Youth Climate Champion role. Despite these setbacks, Li remains optimistic about the growing influence of youth coalitions such as the Global Youth Statement, which has gained traction with world leaders and international organizations. “Young people remind us of what truly matters beyond the technicalities of negotiations,” she adds.

Concrete demands from youth advocates

Representing the Asian-Pacific Resource and Research Centre for Women, Anjali Chalise brings a focus on actionable outcomes. At COP29, she outlined three key demands from the Global Youth Statement: integrating children’s rights into climate policies, prioritizing children in adaptation measures, and establishing early warning systems for climate impacts.

However, Chalise expresses frustration at the lack of responsiveness from decision-makers. “We participate in negotiations and present our demands, but they are not fully reflected in final decisions,” she explained. Despite this, Chalise underscored the importance of continuing to advocate for increased climate finance, particularly for youth-driven projects that address green initiatives and adaptation strategies.

Building a framework for youth inclusion

Programs like the COP29 Youth Delegates initiative are attempting to bridge the gap between youth participation and actionable outcomes. These efforts align with the conference’s broader emphasis on amplifying the role of young leaders in addressing interconnected climate crises, such as biodiversity loss, desertification, and sustainable development.

The Presidency Youth Climate Champion has highlighted the role of youth networks in fostering collaboration across Central Asia, where the program has helped align national actions with international commitments. In parallel, events like “Youth at the Forefront of Climate Action” have underscored the urgency of meaningful youth inclusion in the climate agenda, particularly as youth advocates call for safeguards against greenwashing in nature-based solutions and demand greater accountability from world leaders.

A call for action

The growing presence of youth voices at COP29 signals a shift in global climate discourse. However, advocates insist that recognition must translate into action. They demand not just applause for their speeches but a tangible seat at the table — one that allows them to co-create policies and implement solutions.

By addressing systemic barriers and investing in youth-led initiatives, COP29 has the potential to set a new standard for inclusive climate governance. The stakes are high, but the message is clear: the future of the planet depends on listening to those who will inherit it.