NYC readies nat’l pool of youth negotiators on climate change

The pool of youth negotiators, which will be the first of its kind in the country, would join the official Philippine delegation to international climate negotiations. (PNA photo)

MANILA — The National Youth Commission (NYC) aims to form a national pool of about 80 youth negotiators on climate change as it concluded in Metro Manila the Luzon leg of its youth workshop Friday.

The pool of youth negotiators, which will be the first of its kind in the country, would join the official Philippine delegation to international climate negotiations.

“They’ll help voice out Filipino youth’s concerns regarding the changing climate,” said presidential staff officer Dennis Mendoza of NYC, which is spearheading the pool’s creation.

Allowing the youth to increasingly express such concerns will enable the international community to better understand climate change’s adverse impacts on the Philippines, he said.

Such understanding, Mendoza added, is essential in helping bring forth climate change adaptation and mitigation support for the country.

The group’s creation is in line with NYC’s youth in climate action project, he said.

NYC’s just-concluded workshop featured lectures on the basics of climate change and disaster risk reduction and management. It also included training on climate change negotiating, Mendoza noted.

He said the workshop’s participants formed seven groups that conducted respective discussions on climate change-related issues.

“Each group’s designated chief negotiator and delegation head will be part of the youth pool,” he said at the sideline of the workshop.

NYC and its partners will evaluate other participants’ performance during the workshop to determine who to include in the pool.

He said NYC’s partners in the undertaking are Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Climate Change Commission, advocacy group The Climate Reality Project, and Yes Pinoy Foundation.

NYC, he added, will also spearhead the workshop in the Visayas and Mindanao this year.

The Visayas and Mindanao legs will be from Aug. 24 to 25 in Leyte and Oct. 4 to 5 in Saranggani province, respectively, he said.

Around 22 outstanding participants from each of the workshops in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao will comprise the national pool of youth negotiators.

The remaining slots will be for representatives of UNICEF and NGOs. NYC and its partners will provide the pool more intensified training on climate change negotiations, Mendoza added.

The training’s target schedule is from Nov. 24 to Nov. 25 this year as part of the National Day for Youth in Climate Action celebration.

Proclamation 1160 series of 2015 declared Nov. 25 of every year as National Day for Youth in Climate Action.