Youth speak at the UN: invite countries to join them on voyage of the Kyoto Protocol

A youth delegate hoping countries are willing stay on board the voyage of
the Kyoto Protocol for its 2nd commitment period

On the final day day of talks here in Bonn I took to the floor of the final Kyoto Protocol session to give a statment on behalf of youth NGOs outlining our demands for moving forward with the KP.

Thank you Chair. My name is Anna Collins and I’m speaking on behalf of YOUNGO.

We are on a voyage together, a voyage that sees us sailing to South Africa. In a ship called the Kyoto Protocol.

The voyage of the Kyoto Protocol has sometimes been a stormy one. But today, we find ourselves stuck in the doldrums, with little movement toward a second commitment period. We have become increasingly worried that we will not get where we need to go.

Fortunately, the youth have a plan to chart a course to success in Durban.

First. It’s time to raise the main sail.

Annex I parties, raise the ambition of your reductions to ensure we stay below 1.5 degrees. It may require hard work, but our future is not negotiable, and we know this is the only way to weather the storm of climate impacts together. COP17 outcomes must reflect renewed urgency and ambition in parties’ mitigation efforts, especially from Annex 1.

Second. The KP ship must be watertight -there can be no cracks - no gaps between commitment periods, and Durban must provide a clear legal transition. We must continue to have a legally binding international regime governing and enforcing emission reductions.

Time is running out.

Those pushing for a pledge and review system to replace the KP are not acting in good faith. The International Energy Agency recently announced that 2010 saw the highest global human emissions ever recorded. This is clear and damning evidence that pledge and review is not sufficient.

Third. A boat can’t sail without its crew. We are disappointed that some Parties threaten to jump ship and abandon the KP, and some are violating their first commitment period targets even now. Worse, some never got on board at all. Those who refuse to join us threaten to run this voyage aground.

This piracy is criminal considering the impacts of climate change on vulnerable communities and future generations.

So YOUNGO invites you all to stay on board and feel the sense of achievement when we arrive at climate safety.

Finally, our boat needs a captain. We hope that a crucial block of Annex I countries will show the leadership necessary to change this process.

To all annex 1 countries we call on you to raise your ambition, reaffirm our trust in you, and your trust in each other, and help steer us to the Cape of Good Hope this November.