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Raising young people’s voices at COP26

A picture of Mollie McGoran MSYP standing in front of a loch
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COP26 will be coming to Glasgow between 1st and 12th November. Here is Mollie McGoran MSYP, Trustee and Convener of SYP’s Transport, Environment, and Rural Affairs Committee, to share SYP’s priorities for COP26.

Before COP26 begins, young people from across the world will be coming to Glasgow to take part in the Conference of Youth – the young person’s equivalent of COP26. Scotland will be supporting five young people to attend this event, and I am really excited to have been invited to represent SYP as one of these five young people.

At this event, we will take part in workshops and debates, and will also create the Global Youth Statement, which will be presented to the UN Climate Negotiations to officially represent the voice of the world’s young people. I will do everything I can to make sure Scotland’s young people’s views are reflected in the Global Youth Statement, and in the COP26 negotiations. But I can’t do it on my own.

I am calling on MSYPs and other young people to reach out to your elected representatives during The Moment on Friday 29th October to share SYP’s priorities for COP26.

SYP’s priorities for COP26 outline SYP policy – based on the views of Scotland’s young people – that relate to some of the key themes for COP26. These priority areas are:

  • meaningful participation of children and young people.
  • climate justice.
  • education on living sustainably.
  • access to active and sustainable transport.
  • circular economy and packaging.

Alongside this, we’ve drafted a template letter and a mini advocacy pack, which young people can use to share our five priorities with your elected representatives:

In a few weeks time, the 2019-21 membership of SYP will come to an end. We may only have a month left in our roles as MSYPs, but that month could be one of the most important months for this membership. COP26 is one of the biggest opportunities for us – as representatives of Scotland’s young people – to influence decisions that will affect not just Scotland’s young people, but all young people around the world for years to come.

Let’s do this!

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