Climate protest placard reading: "There is no planet B"

Youth climate organisers are hosting a climate conference on November 23 and 24, bringing together youth organisations from around the UK to share stories and skills. It will form part of the international mobilisation around this year’s international climate negotiations, COP25.

Held at Manchester’s Metropolitan University, it is the first of its kind in the UK. But it will coincide with 50 others just like it all over the world. Since 2014, Local Conferences of Youth (LCOYs) have been taking place around the world as part of youth campaigner’s mobilisation and skill-sharing around the United Nations international climate change negotiations.

Events like these are an important way to bring young people together from all over the country, and to connect these people with other LCOYs in other countries, all feeding into the global Conference of Youth that happens right before the real COP. These are essential events in providing a youth perspective on global climate policies and negotiations.

Given what has happened so far in 2019 – the youth climate strikes, extinction rebellion, the moratorium on fracking in England – it is important that we build on the momentum developed to grow stronger for the years ahead. This is more important than ever now that 2020 is shaping up to be an immensely important year for climate policy. With COP26 being hosted by the UK, EU countries revealing if they have met their carbon reduction targets, and with increasing climate activism worldwide; next year will be a big turning point for all. 2020 is also the last year in which CO2 levels can rise, after which emissions must be curbed to prevent warming above 1.5 degrees.

No doubt there are many ways in which action must be taken by governments and wider society to fight climate change. LCOY hopes to be a space to share these ideas, question the lack of action worldwide, and be part of calling for greater action from UK youth on climate action around the world.

Organisations such as People & Planet, UK Student Climate Network (UKSCN) UNICEF and Restless Development are all part of this event – hostings workshops and sharing across these different networks how we can all get involved for climate justice.

The international climate negotiations, COP25, is now happening in Madrid, after the Chilean government cancelled it in their country, citing civil unrest – unfairly – as the reason. This means it is now more important than ever that youth voices from around the world, and especially in Latin America are heard at COP through COYs around the world. Here is the UK, holding these local COYs is a reminder of the international effort needed to be heard and act to stop climate change.

You can find see the full programme, find out how to get involved and get tickets for LCOY UK here.