Scouts Call On Governments and Business Leaders to Move Decisively On Climate Action
As Scouts, we represent the interests and well-being of 57 million young people and volunteers around the world. Together it is imperative that we push to create a more sustainable planet where young generations can thrive today and for the future.
Earlier this month, World Scouting’s Secretary General, Ahmad Alhendawi, and Youth Representatives Hian Leng Kek, Laura Rodríguez Salgado and Lucas Andriantsimba attended the COP28 in Dubai. We were encouraged by a number of key milestones achieved by governments, non-governmental organisations, and other observers during the climate conference.
But we remain concerned by the lack of binding agreements or accountability, as well as the slow progress towards limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius.
The commitment to transition away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy and the achievement of net zero by 2050 is a good start, but it can only be effective if global emission trends follow the recommended emission pathways of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Scouts continue to call on governments and business leaders to be accountable to their commitments by taking action now, well ahead of the 2050 target.
This year’s COP saw more fossil fuel lobbyists than ever before with a total of 2,456 industry representatives, mostly from the global north (source), attending the event.
The involvement of so many oil and gas lobbyists has a negative impact on climate negotiations, such as weakening language in the UAE Consensus compared to previous drafts, as well as using COP as a space for making business deals for companies that contribute greatly to the degradation of our planet through pollution and unsustainable practices.
Appointing a COP President who is the leader of an oil company also further undermines and jeopardises the trust and credibility of COP as a forum for advancing clean energy solutions.
In terms of youth engagement, the Children and Youth Pavilion created a space for young people to meet, work and learn together as they advanced efforts to mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis.
However, governments must do more to empower children and youth through national delegations to ensure that the youngest generations, who have the most to lose in this climate crisis, are heard and engaged in the process of decision-making around environmental issues.
This includes providing more space and time for youth observers and delegates to ask questions of COP leadership, governments and business leaders, holding them to account for their commitments, and creating pavilions at future COPs that are more visible, integrated and multi-sectoral.
It is clear we still have a long way to go to embrace education for sustainable development, specifically climate education, as a way to inform and empower young people, communities, corporations and governments to implement sustainable practices and take action for climate change. The word "education" for example does not appear even once in the UAE Consensus.
The importance of climate education cannot be understated as it underscores the possibilities for innovation, sustainability and climate action needed to create a better world.
Finally, as Scouts who believe in the value of diversity, equity and inclusion, we implore government and business leaders to ensure that the most vulnerable members of society are both protected and engaged in climate negotiations and decision-making. Issues related to climate change are interconnected with other issues, including health and well-being, conflicts and humanitarian crises, migration and refugees, equality and human rights, and more.
We must continue to advocate for people and communities which are disproportionately affected by climate change, such as developing countries, small island nations and indigenous groups, and to actively involve these groups in climate negotiations.
On this, the launch of the Loss and Damage Fund was a positive step forward at COP28 to address the negative impacts of the climate crisis on the most vulnerable countries, with $700 million pledged so far. However, this falls well short of an estimated $400 billion needed for the adaptation of developing nations, and we need to see more countries invest in the fund to ensure that the global south can recover from the effects of climate change.
Despite some of the progress made at COP28, if we are going to halt and reverse the effects of climate change, and create healthy and safe environments for young people worldwide, we must hold government and business leaders more accountable to their climate commitments, including establishing and implementing meaningful and sustainable practices and policies today.
Already the climate crisis is past the point of no return, and it is our collective duty to do all we can to mitigate and reverse its harmful effects on children, youth and our dear planet.
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Click here to learn how Scouts are contributing to climate action through community projects and education. Click here to learn about the impact of Scouts for SDGs.