Youth advocate for forest protection in Copenhagen climate deal

Youth representatives at the Copenhagen climate talks have united behind a campaign to convince negotiators and ministers to make sure the next climate deal protect's the world´s forests and the rights and interests of Indigenous peoples who live in the forests.

Youth representatives at the Copenhagen climate talks have held side events focused on the urgent need to protect the world's intact natural forests to ensure the survival of all peoples and countries. Image: The Wilderness Society collection.

The youth have held side events focused on the urgent need to protect the world's intact natural forests to ensure the survival of all peoples and countries. They have also formed a choir and sung '14 days to climate change' song to negotiators as they have entered room to finalise the details of the mechanism that aims to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation (REDD). The youth also held an action to support Prince Charles rainforest project which is advocating for a global effort to protect the world's rainforests. This action was supported by Prince Charles who spoke to the climate conference on the day of the action.

Youth spokesperson and climate change and forest campaigner for the Wilderness Society said "we know that we need to immediately protect the world's forests to secure a safe climate for our future. Young people all around the world know that protecting forests is a critical part of the climate solution. We believe that the youth can play a vital role in educating the wider community about the necessity to protect our forests for our future. A large number of young people in developing countries still live in or amongst intact natural forests and would like to be guardians of the forests and help global efforts to halt climate change."

The youth in Copenhagen have developed a formal statement about REDD that they have been using to lobby for changes in the draft text.

It is great to see young people take a leadership role in advocating for forest protection as part of the global solution to climate change. The Wilderness Society would like to thank the youth for their enthusiasm, creativity and for reminding the decision makers at the climate talks of the urgent need to protect the world's forests.

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