Youth activists represent SIDS in Milan

Ashley Lashley and Abigail Johnson have returned from Milan, Italy, after attending the Youth4Climate and Pre-Cop 26 event which was held from September 30th –October 2nd, 2021.

The Youth4Climate: Driving Ambition event, was convened by the government of Italy, and featured three days of programming, which were organised around four thematic areas: youth driving ambition, sustainable recovery, non-state actors’ engagement, and climate-conscious society.

Over 300 youth delegates drawn from 100 and 98 countries attended the event.

Lashley who is the founder of Healthy and Environment-Friendly Youth (HEY) Campaign said she was delighted to be chosen to represent Barbados out of the 8,900 applicants that applied and co-facilitate the non-state actor engagement working group.

“Being invited for the Youth for Climate event was an exhilarating experience which allowed me to present on a global stage serious issues related to climate change and the impact it is having on small island developing states (SIDS) particularly as it relates to upscaling climate finance which will allow SIDS to adapt better to the impacts of climate change and other external shocks.

“It also presented me with the opportunity to join other young climate change activists from around the world whilst highlighting the urgency for the international community to address and take more concrete action to Caribbean nations and Small Island Developing States as it relates to loss and damage from climate change and its impacts.

“I was even more delighted that another youth advocate from the HEY Campaign was selected to attend this global event which certainly brought about a higher level of recognition globally to the work that we are doing within the HEY Campaign,” she said.

HEY Ambassador Johnson said that it was a phenomenal experience for her to be chosen out of a wide delegation pool.

“To see the large Caribbean representation that we would have had there that was amazing to see and that showcases the fact that we have the talent and experience in the Caribbean, we just need the exposure not just at the national level but at the international level.

“Just going to the Youth For Climate Driving Ambition event taught me a lot of things as it pertains to negotiation – how hard we as Small Island Developing States have to fight to ensure that our voices are heard and ensure that any documents that are presented are representative of us and they explicitly state what we want and do not leave too much room for interpretation and that you get an incorrect interpretation. It was a phenomenal experience, and I am glad that I was chosen to represent my country and my region,” she said.

Johnson said that despite the current COVID-19 procedures when travelling to Italy, she believed that it was necessary as climate change is of the utmost importance for Caribbean countries.

“I think the opportunity to be a HEY Ambassador at the Pre-Cop event as well as a Barbadian delegate was a phenomenal experience, and it was warranted as the Caribbean experience at these events is necessary.

“The reality is that no one speaks for us like we do, no one represents us like we do. If given the opportunity I would do it again,” she said.

Lashley who is the former Miss World Barbados 2018 and founder of the HEY Campaign said that Ministers from across the world have pledged to allow members of the youth to have a say in climate change.

“Coming out of this summit Ministers who attended made a commitment to ensure that youth in their respective countries are more engaged in the climate-related processes and that a greater level of climate education and sensitisation is implemented and that there is more involvement by nonstate actors in this global fight,” she said.

The outcomes of the discussion will be taken forward to COP26 where the Government of Italy and UNESCO and other partners are exploring the possibility for an event of Ministers of Education and Environment for a joint commitment to scaling up education in addressing climate change.

(Write Right PR Services)