The Youth Conference on Climate Change 5th – 6th June, Oslo, Norway

The Youth Conference on Climate Change is a cooperation project between LNU (The Norwegian Children and Youth Council) and UNA Norway (The United Nations Association of Norway). We want The Youth Conference on Climate Change to be an arena for youth to discuss and learn more about climate changes, and a arena were youth speak out and demand to be heard in the issue of climate change. The Norwegian Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim will visit the Conference.

Main goals for the Youth Conference on Climate Change:
Youth have increased knowledge and commitment to the issue of climate change in a North / South perspective
Youth are heard / participants in the climate change debate and is conscious of their responsibility and their ability to influence politics on climate change
Enhanced international contact and cooperation between the participating children and youth organizations

Target group: Youth organizations and their members in Norway (ca.120 participants, age limit: 15 years). The main aim for the Youth Conference on Climate Change is to reach a wide range of Youth organizations and their members, also those who do not primarily work with the issue of climate change.

Specific goals:
• Increase knowledge about climate change and climate change in a North / South perspective
• Increase knowledge about youth rights to be heard and participate in the issue of climate change. One also wants to focus up on youth’s responsibility of taking action (the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child § 12)
• Increase knowledge about the negotiations around a new international agreement on how to fight climate change
• Give the participating organizations the knowledge and position to influence decision-making, both nationally and internationally
• Give the participants from North and South the opportunity to share experiences on how to work with the issue of climate change and youths right to be heard
• Youth gets together and direct common claim to the Norwegian authorities and their climate policy
• A broad range of youth organizations are concerned about, and working on the issue of climate change


Climate change in a North / South perspective and the negotiations for a new international agreement on climate change have been selected as a topic because it is a very important issue. The issue of climate change gets extra important this year because of the International climate change conference in Copenhagen in December. Children and youths right to participate and to be heard is enshrined in the United Nations Convention on the Right of the Child § 12, the convention is 20 years this year. Combining the themes climate change and children and youths right to be heard and participate fall naturally. It is children and youth who are the future and that will live on this earth in the years to come. Children and youth are therefore entitled to be heard when politicians makes decisions that sets essential premises for the future of children and youth. Youth and youth organisations should have knowledge of, and the ability to, influence political decision making, both nationally and internationally also when it comes to the issue of climate change. For youth to realize their own responsibility it is essential that youth are aware how the climate changes impact unfairly. Rich countries emit most greenhouse gasses, while poor countries are affected by the worst consequences.

The program for the Youth Conference on Climate Change:
The conference will last two days.

Program on Friday, 5th of June:
Program for the Youth Conference on Climate Change starts at 5 PM.
Lectures about: technology and climate change, refugees and climate change and The Philippines and the issue of Climate Change.
“Climate Divide and Bangladesh”, short movie made of the YWCA Bangladesh.

Content for the program Saturday, 6th of June:
The importance of youths participation
The right to be heard in the climate change issue
How climate change affect unfairly. Rich countries emit most greenhouse gasses, while poor countries are affected by the worst consequences.
Partners from countries in the South are present, exchange and dissemination of the situation in the partners homeland
Training: learning how to use a information kit about climate change (for the participants to take back to their own organizations)
Training: what is the current situation when it comes to climate and climate change? What will happen if we don’t do anything?
Introduction to climate treaties, etc. What will happen at the International climate change conference in Copenhagen in December? What can we affect and how?
Visit from the Norwegian Minister of the Environment and International Development Erik Solheim. The Minister will give a greeting speech. The participants at the Youth Conference on Climate Change will get the opportunity to ask questions and post demands.
Petition with common requirements from the youth organisations
Viewing of films about climate change. The films are made of four different partner organizations from countries in the South. The films are about how these partners experiences climate change and how they work with the issue
Group exercises. How can one work with the issue of climate change, and how can on influence politics?
Role-play about climate changes and negotiation, where one will discuss and debate to reach some joint statements
"Writing course", learning how to write short texts about climate change and the role of youth