COP30 started off strong with children and youth at the epicentre of discussions today at the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends for Children and Climate Action, in Belem. Together with Unicef, parties discussed the growing need for child-responsive climate policies and finance. Unicef also introduced their Global Child Hazard Database to guide child-focused national climate policies and NDCs 3.0 for a more determined approach towards children and youth front of our climate battle.

Yalchin Rafiyev, COP29 Lead Negotiator, also joined the session, highlighting that COP29 Presidency’s youth-led legacy will remain a model for meaningful participation of children and youth across future COPs. The work that has been put through between the COP29 Presidency Youth Climate Champion and the UNICEF has been crucial in elevating child-focused engagement and youth-led solutions, promoting meaningful participation and spotlighting children’s specific vulnerabilities across climate discussions, which is important for ensuring every child is being seen, heard, and protected in climate decisions.