Bangkok, Thailand – As part of Module 2 of the Climate Policy Innovators Youth Camp, the Camp Secretariat hosted a high-level press conference to highlight the meaningful engagement and participation of children, youth, and women—especially Indigenous and marginalised communities—in the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) and National Adaptation Plan (NAP) processes. The event featured distinguished speakers, including HE. Juhi Bansal, Secretary-General of The United EcoVanguard; HE. Mirjana Uncanin, Prime Minister of the Republic of Verdania; Christian Jake Tabara, recipient of the Dedication and Rising Artist Aurora Climate Award; and HRH. Parascos Dianne M, Princess of the Kingdom of Solara. Their insights underscored the urgency of inclusive climate policymaking and the critical role of youth leadership in shaping sustainable solutions.
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By Panda Express News
Current climate statistics highlight worrying increasing warming trends: 2024 being the warmest year on record and now, January 2025 is confirmed to be the hottest January since records began, 1.75 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. This leaves experts concerned for the year ahead - could this be another record-breaking year in the wrong direction?
Despite the ambition and action of the global community in previous years, these statistics have only continued to worsen. This leaves us, at the Panda Express-News, with one key question - what is missing? Or rather, after a critical review of the country’s NAP, WHO is missing? One stakeholder group was glaringly omitted in the documentation.
Reporters engaging with Guest speakers. (Credit: UNFCCC)
At today’s press conference on Children, Youth, Women in NDC, NAP, the Secretary-General of the United EcoVanguard, HE. Juhi Bansal, was asked about the role of indigenous communities in the NAPs process. In response, she emphasised the importance of inclusivity in the development of each country’s NAP and reiterated their commitment to supporting countries to engage vulnerable communities, in particular Indigenous peoples.
Indigenous communities play a pivotal role in protecting the earth's biodiversity. They make up 5% of the population of which an estimated 476 million indigenous people live across 90 countries. Furthermore, they have a longstanding history of conserving nature, as well as adapting to them using their traditional ecological knowledge. Yet, despite all this, our very own Indigenous communities are not acknowledged, recognised, or considered in the development and implementation of the country’s NAP.
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By BBQ News
In an era marked by climate emergencies, wildfires, and rising sea levels, one thing is becoming abundantly clear, the future belongs to those brave enough to shape it. And who better to do that than the youth? Across the globe, young people are stepping up, challenging norms, and demanding a seat at the table where decisions about our planet’s future are made.
From Greta Thunberg’s solo protests sparking a global movement to grassroots initiatives thriving in small communities, young people aren’t just future leaders, they’re leading now. But how exactly are they influencing high-stakes climate policy, specifically in the realms of National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) and Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs)?
