First National Youth Declaration on Climate Change: a youth-led innitiative for Romania's sustainable future

Bucharest, October 25, 2024. The first National Youth Declaration on Climate Change was launched today at the Victoria Palace, during the LCOY Romania 2024 Conference (Local Conference of Youth), organized by the Youth Platform for Sustainability and the Romanian Youth Council, with the support of the Prime Minister's Office and UNICEF.

The declaration, which will contribute to the Global Youth Declaration to be presented to international leaders at the COP29 reunion in Baku in November, is a clear and innovative perspective on how young Romanians can make a contribution to tackling the climate crisis. The initiative comes as a response to the urgent need to involve the younger generation in the development of sustainable solutions and policies to mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Key themes include climate education, protecting biodiversity, limiting climate change and promoting green innovation.

In addition to analyzing the problems, young people propose a number of concrete solutions:

1. Education and Awareness: Creating interactive educational programs for teachers and students, developing educational infrastructure and organizing national campaigns to actively involve young people in climate action.
2. Protect biodiversity: Implement strict measures to protect vulnerable species and ecosystems in line with international commitments.
3. Innovation and research: Invest more in renewable energy and support research through public-private partnerships, while promoting the circular economy and reducing pollution.
4. Climate policies: Young people call for the adoption of a national climate law and the establishment of a Youth Advisory Council on Climate Change to ensure collaboration between authorities and youth in the formulation of environmental policies.

The young people's message is clear: a sustainable future must be built through immediate action, and their contribution is essential!

"The Romanian Government is engaged in the effort to reduce the effect of climate change. Educating and training young people to protect the environment, involving them in climate action, together with innovative projects to increase competitiveness and a just transition to a green economy are beneficial solutions in the medium and long term. The declaration launched today is a key document that national and global policies must take into account in the fight to preserve the environment", said Alexandru-Mihai Ghigiu, Head of the Prime Minister's Chancellery.

“Concerns about the fate of the environment and the planet are at the top of the agenda of children and young people in Romania. I welcome the launch of this declaration, which says as clearly as possible what children and young people think about climate change, how it affects them and, above all, how they see the solutions,” said Mihaela Frasineanu, State Councilor, the Chancellery of the Prime Minister.

“The climate crisis we are currently going through is a crisis of children's rights, because these rights, which are indivisible, as stipulated by the UN Convention adopted in 1989, cannot be realized without protecting children against climate change. I welcome the statement launched today and thank government and civil society partners for their support”, said Anna Riatti, UNICEF Representative in Romania.

”We emphasize the need to update the legislative framework to co-opt young people's contributions, as well as the establishment of a Youth Advisory Council on Climate Change (YACCC), which would facilitate collaboration between children, young people and authorities, ensuring the active involvement of the youth sector in the process of environmental policy development and consultation. Through this approach, young people will be able to contribute with relevant perspectives and solutions, reflecting the needs and priorities of their generation", said Elena Miron, Co-initiator of LCOY Romania and Co-Founder of the Youth Platform for Sustainability.