Members of the PIF SG's Pacific Young Climate Leaders Alliance

Who are the PIF-SG’s Young Climate Leaders Alliance?

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General’s Young Climate Leaders Alliance are selected young climate advocates across the Forum Island Countries. Their selection is based on their demonstrated evidence and recognition of climate advocacy work in the region and internationally.

What will their focus be?

At their meetings in July, Forum Foreign Ministers and Forum Officials Committee “recognised the importance of engaging Pacific youth from Forum Members in climate change projects and advocacy in the lead up to COP 26 and requested the Secretariat to invite all Forum Members to nominate youth representatives that can contribute to this work”.

Despite the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change remains the single greatest threat facing the Blue Pacific continent, as continuously reaffirmed by Pacific Islands Forum Leaders. The findings of the Initial NDC Synthesis Report released by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the IPCC Working Group 1 report, confirmed that current levels of climate ambition are far from putting the world on a 1.5°C pathway by the end of this century.

The Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) recognises that Pacific young climate leaders are already engaging actively and plays critical role as equal partners in addressing climate change, including advocacy in the lead up to COP26 and broadly on climate and environmental issues. Unfortunately, a lot of these initiatives are adhoc, fragmented and not coordinated or strategically linked to the regional climate change agenda.

Therefore, this initiative, the first of its kind set up under the Forum aims to coordinate existing Pacific youth climate advocacy efforts and initiatives across the Pacific with the goal to influence ambitious national, regional and international climate change actions to limit global warming to below 1.5 degree Celsius by the end of this century. It also aims to deliver synergies and open up opportunities for intergenerational advocacy and dialogues for effective and inclusive Pacific responses to the global climate crisis.

Who are the members?

There are fourteen young climate advocates representing eight Forum member countries that have confirmed their interest to be part of the PIF SG’s Pacific Young Climate Leaders Alliance.

Membership in the Alliance is valid for a period of 2 years, after which there will be a fresh call for interest. Subject to the PIF Secretary General’s discretion, membership for an individual may be further extended or the number of members in this Alliance may be increased or reduced. Ideally membership will also take into account sub-regional representation.

What are the key Expected Outcomes of this initiative?

  • A unified and stronger youth voice from the Pacific urging the global community to address the climate change crisis facing our region, including at COP26 and beyond.
  • Improved regional coordination and information sharing amongst Pacific island Young Climate Leaders on national climate change initiatives and actions.
  • Youth input to PIFS regional policy work on climate change and influencing outcomes from the Pacific Islands Forum Leaders meeting.
  • Complementary action to the advocacy work of the UNSG’s Youth Group on Climate Action and the High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Action.

Activities:

    • Conducted two meetings and an inaugural dialogue between Alliance members and PIF Secretary General in 2021. During the dialogue, eight Pacific Young Climate Leaders shared their experiences of climate resilience, youth climate work across the region. The Alliance members also shared their solutions and insights on COP26 regional priorities.
    • Members of the Alliance also participated in the Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition (Pre-COP Youth Event) held in Milan as well as COP26 in Glasgow. “It has been a privilege to participate as a youth delegate from Papua New Guinea and the Pacific at the recent Youth4Climate summit held in Milan, Italy.  With the climate challenges affecting PNG and the Pacific region, I call on governments and relevant stakeholders to take into account youth voices and work with young people to address climate change across the Pacific region and abroad. I commend youths at the forefront of climate action, and they need further support. To enable support to young people and resilient communities in climate action, we need climate change awareness, solutions, and obligations to be translated from policy documents to actual work implemented at all levels of society and across all sectors.” Kim Allen, Youth Advocate from PNG and member of the PYLCA.
    • In 2021, the Secretariat also provided small grant to members of the Alliance to implement small projects with their youth groups or community. To receive the grant, members have to apply for it. The Pacific Island Students Fighting Climate Change Campaign (PISFCC) Director, Mr. Solomon Yeo who is also a member of the Pacific Island Forum’s Secretary General Pacific Young Climate Leader’s Alliance is a recipient of the small grant to carryout a youth-led activity on food security, which is currently being implemented in Isabel Province, Kolomola community and Kolokoda primary school, Solomon Islands. Mr. Yeo is overseeing the project along with PISFCC member, Mr. Rodrick Holness with other members.
    • Supported two members for the Alliance in capacity building training on writing reports and proposals conducted by the University of the South Pacific.
    • In 2022, key activities will include Internships and support toward COP27.

 

LATEST MEDIA RELEASE:

Pacific Young Climate Leaders Call for Urgent Climate action ahead of COP26