Young activists table proposals for Glasgow climate talks

Milan, Sept. 30 (BNA) On Wednesday, youth activists presented a list of proposals for inclusion in the COP26 climate agenda, a day before Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi met with Swedish activist Greta Thunberg.

The proposals will be examined by climate and energy ministers assembled at a meeting in Milan on Thursday, before some find their way to the COP26 UN summit in Glasgow within a month.

The Glasgow conference aims to secure more ambitious climate action from the nearly 200 countries that signed the 2015 Paris Agreement and agreed to try to limit human-caused global warming to 1.5°C.

The activists’ proposals, organized across four business areas, include demands for a transparent climate financing system as well as a call for the complete phase-out of the fossil fuel industry by 2030.

“(2030) is the limit we want to put, we don’t want to say 2050…because this is our last chance,” said Iraqi activist Reem Al-Saffar.

“We are tired of washing green products and of the companies selling them to us.”

This initiative is designed to give young people a seat at the table in climate talks with growing concern that some countries may not be fully committed to the goals.

Addressing activists from about 190 countries, Italy’s Energy Transition Minister Roberto Cingolani said this is the first time that young people have been given the opportunity to play such a direct role in climate policies.

“The proposals are excellent and a good base to start from,” he said. “There is a lot to work on.”

The minister said the platform would remain open until October 25, so improvements could be made to the final document before the Glasgow summit.

Italy, which currently holds the G-20 presidency, is co-hosting the COP26 conference along with the United Kingdom.

Draghi and his British counterpart Boris Johnson are set to participate, either in person or remotely, in the Milan meeting before COP26 on Thursday alongside COP26 President Alok Sharma and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

Draghi’s office said he would meet Thunberg on Thursday.

HF