Why Youth Voices Belong at COP: Observers to Changemakers by Rajaa Berry

Attending COP29 as a youth delegate gave me a front-row seat to the complex and often frustrating world of climate negotiations. While there were moments of progress, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was missing; youth voices weren’t as central as they should be.

One of the key outcomes of COP29 was the commitment to scale up climate finance for developing countries. The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) set targets of $300 billion annually in public funding by 2035 and a broader goal of mobilizing $1.3 trillion from all sectors. That’s a big win for countries on the frontlines of the climate crisis.

At the same time, challenges remain. While frameworks for international carbon markets under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement were established, there’s still a lack of concrete commitments to reduce emissions in heavy industries. However, the caveat is that these commitments often feel like numbers on a page unless the right voices are in the room to ensure accountability and action.

That’s where youth come in. I’ve been pushing Canada’s Chief Negotiator, Michael Bonser, to create a program that formally integrates youth into the negotiation process. A “Youth Negotiators” initiative would train young people to actively contribute to these spaces, not as token participants, but as real changemakers. The truth is, we bring something unique to the table: urgency, fresh ideas, and a willingness to push boundaries, as evidenced by the many youth delegates I met from all over the world.