On 14 December 2024, UNU-IAS co-organized an event to discuss challenges to meaningful youth participation in national and global policymaking, and ways to address them. It shared insights from university students who participated in the 2024 UN Biodiversity Conference (CBD COP16) through a capacity development programme Global Youth MIDORI Platform (GYM), as well as high school students who attended the 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP29) as part of youth empowerment initiatives by the UNU-IAS Operating Unit Ishikawa Kanazawa (UNU-IAS OUIK).
In opening remarks, Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS) highlighted the Pact for the Future adopted at the 2024 UN Summit of the Future, committing Member States to strengthening actions for meaningful youth participation. She stressed that prior to the adoption of the Pact, UNU-IAS had already initiated projects such as GYM (in partnership with the AEON Environmental Foundation) and the youth empowerment programme for high school students implemented by UNU-IAS OUIK.
In the first session, Taira Ishiguro (student, University of Tokyo Graduate School) and Shiho Ito (student, Akita International University) discussed their experiences at CBD COP16. Mr. Ishiguro noted that he deepened his understanding of the direct connection between biodiversity conservation and the livelihoods of local communities, and was impressed by delegates from developing countries advocating for social equality. Ms. Ito pointed out the lower visibility of COP16 in comparison to COP29, which was attended by world leaders and widely covered by the media.
Natsuko Kaji (student, Kanazawa Izumigaoka High School) and Mari Honda (student, Kanazawa University Senior High School) shared their insights after attending UNFCCC COP29. Ms. Kaji stressed the importance of adopting cross-cutting approaches to environmental issues, noting that addressing one issue could potentially solve another. Ms. Honda remarked on the noticeable gap between developing countries advocating for urgent climate action and developed countries emphasizing their technological solutions.
Speaking from the perspective of a youth programme organizer, Mei Maruyama (Programme Coordinator, UNU-IAS) emphasized that many internal administrative systems are not designed to effectively facilitate youth participation. Yoko Tomita (Programme Coordinator, UNU-IAS OUIK) stressed the importance of actively supporting the implementation of solutions developed by youth.
Moderated by Akio Takemoto (Head of Programme and Administration, UNU-IAS), the second session explored key challenges facing youth, such as continuity of youth-led initiatives after graduation, leveraging experience during job hunting, fostering collaboration with the business sector, enhancing negotiation skills, and promoting intergenerational and interdisciplinary cooperation.
Yuhei Mabuchi (Kanazawa University) pointed out that new graduates often hesitate to highlight their environmental activities as students when applying for jobs. Rintaro Tomita (Climate Youth Japan) emphasized that companies should actively promote sustainability-related positions to enable new graduates to better align their experience with job opportunities. Ryo Toyoshima (Director, Change Our Next Decade) highlighted the importance of addressing the needs of professional youth in Japan, noting that international youth organizations tend to see greater engagement from working youth.
Reflecting on intergenerational collaboration, Kensuke Eguchi (Global Environment Outreach Centre (GEOC)) stressed the need to build equal partnerships, focusing on shared goals rather than one-directional support. Yurika Morii (Co-Secretary General, Japan Youth Platform for Sustainability (JYPS)) highlighted systemic challenges in Japan, noting the lack of institutional mechanisms to support meaningful youth participation, including funding. Kumiko Hongyo (Co-Secretary General, JYPS) emphasized the importance of tailored support programmes, such as those provided by UNU-IAS, to bridge knowledge gaps among youth participants.
Summing up the discussion, Dr. Takemoto underscored the need to engage youth from the early stages while recognizing that all generations have a role to play. Yuan Yoshinaga (Secretariat, AEON Environmental Foundation) reaffirmed the foundation's commitment to addressing these issues as part of corporate social responsibility.
The event was co-organized by UNU-IAS, the AEON Environmental Foundation and the Global Environment Outreach Centre (GEOC).
