Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Bhupender Yadav on Friday said that Green Rising Global Initiative will create pathways for at least 10 million children and youth, especially girls, in developing countries, to act, acquire green skills and contribute to countries’ ambitious National Action Plans on Climate Change alongside public, and private stakeholders.
The Union Minister was speaking at an event marking the launch of Green Rising at COP28 in Dubai, UAE on the topic ‘The Green Rising: Powering Youth Action & Solutions for Climate’, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change informed.
Yadav said that the Green Credits Initiative launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at COP28 earlier, will incentivize voluntary pro-planet actions and facilitate global collaboration, cooperation and partnership through exchange of knowledge, experiences and best practices in planning, implementation and monitoring of environment positive actions.
While the young people bear the least responsibility for the climate crisis, they are suffering its worst consequences, he said. Yadav also said that the young are the most crucial key to attaining a sustainable world.
There is also no denying that the youth are valuable contributors to climate action, he said, adding that they are agents of change as entrepreneurs, innovators, and environmentally conscious individuals with a will to drive positive change. It is our responsibility to equip them with the right knowledge and skills to usher in this change. This right knowledge must include a blend of technological prowess and environmental sense, Bhupender Yadav added.
The Union Minister credited the youth for using their agency to compel governments world over to bring sustainability to the center stage of governance.
Kevin Frey, Chief Executive Officer of Generation Unlimited during his speech said “We can proactively address the challenges of a climate-changed world by scaling up climate education, promoting green skills, fostering green job opportunities and entrepreneurship, and ensuring meaningful participation of children and youth.”
UNICEF, Generation Unlimited and partners have launched the Green Rising initiative at Dubai Cares-hosted RewirEd Summit on the first-ever COP Youth, Children, Education and Skills Day in a major drive to mobilize world leaders to scale children- and youth-led grassroots climate action.
Green Rising aims to unite leaders across sectors at COP28 to spotlight commitments to integrate children and youth as partners, influence policymakers toward a more youth-centered perspective, and encourage organizations to contribute their resources and expertise. Prominent leaders are pledging support for the Green Rising in a significant crowding-in of global partners committed to this vision.
