Al Mazrui encouraged young participants to adopt sustainable practices that support climate action efforts….reports Asian Lite News
Ahead of the COP28 climate change conference in November at Expo City Dubai, the Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCY) organised an awareness session entitled “Youth at COP28” as part of its 2023 summer camp activities.
The session was held in collaboration with the COP28 team, the Emirates Youth Council, the Youth Climate Champion team, and the Youth Council of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology (MoIAT).
The session, which was held with the participation of Shamma Al Mazrui, Minister of Community Development and COP28 Youth Climate Champion, and in the presence of Majid Al Suwaidi, Director-General and Special Representative of COP28, aimed to educate young people about COP28 and their important role in climate action and achieving sustainable development goals. The MCY also announced it will be launching a new youth climate initiative in the coming months.
Attending virtually, Al Mazrui encouraged young participants to adopt sustainable practices that support climate action efforts.
Majid Al Suwaidi elaborated on inclusivity as a foundation of the COP28 Presidency that will enable a collective effort for ambitious outcomes at COP28.
He highlighted the vital role of the Youth Climate Champion to elevate the voices of young people and empower youth-led action, and emphasised that young Emiratis will be crucial in delivering solutions and success at COP28 and future COPs.
Several discussions during the event covered COP28, the Youth Climate Champion Team’s strategy at the conference, and youth involvement in the initiatives of the Federal Youth Authority (FYA).
Additionally, a youth retreat highlighted the initiatives and activities of the youth pavilion in the Green Zone at COP28.
13 higher education institutions join
The Universities Climate Network (UCN), chaired by NYU Abu Dhabi, welcomed 13 additional higher education institutions from the UAE, bringing the total number of participating institutions to 24.
These include the Abu Dhabi Polytechnic, Abu Dhabi University, Ajman University, Al Ain University, American University in Dubai, American University in the Emirates, De Montfort University Dubai, Emirates College for Advanced Education, Heriot-Watt University Dubai, University of Sharjah, Rabdan Academy, University of Birmingham Dubai, and University of Wollongong in Dubai.
The recently launched UCN comprises UAE-based universities and higher education institutions working together to drive engagement among youth and academia in the lead up to COP28 UAE. This includes collaborating on research and innovation for climate solutions, as well as facilitating dialogues, workshops, and public events, among other activities.
COP28 UAE will take place at Expo City Dubai from 30th November to 12th December, 2023. The Conference is expected to convene over 70,000 participants, including heads of state, government officials, international industry leaders, private sector representatives, academics, experts, youth, and non-state actors.