Bulgaria signs the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action

Sofia, 27 April 2022 - Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Environment and Water, Borislav Sandov signed the Intergovernmental Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action today. Bulgaria is the tenth country in Europe to sign the Declaration. By signing the declaration Bulgaria has pledged to ensuring that priorities for children and youth are included in climate action.

Deputy Prime Minister Sandov welcomed the Declaration and stressed that it is namely the children and the young people of today who will have to fix past mistakes and deal with the severe consequences of climate change tomorrow. “Every effort to limit our carbon footprint right now, every effort to prepare young people for the challenges of tomorrow, empowering them, showing them a new way to treat nature with respect, is a big step towards a better, safer and greener future”, Mr. Sandov said.

UNICEF Representative in Bulgaria, Christina de Bruin welcomed the signing of the Declaration and pointed out that this document demonstrates the countries’ commitments to acknowledge and consider the needs, rights, and perspectives of children and young people when it comes to climate change policies at all levels.

‘The signing of the Declaration by Bulgaria is an important landmark that empowers children and young people as powerful agents of change. The climate crisis is a children's rights crisis’.

One of the aims of the Declaration is to expand participation by children and youth in the climate change mitigation and adaptation processes through more education about climate change and the environment, as well as acquisition of knowledge and skills required to protect themselves and contribute to a safe and sustainable future.