Weber Su
Last week, Sierra Student Coalition (SSC) organizers Natalie Lucas, Jacqueline Yap, and Randy Downs attended the Seventh Annual International Youth Summit on Energy and Climate Change (IYSECC) in Shenzhen, China. While there, SSC organizers met with long-time youth partners from the China Youth Climate Action Network (CYCAN), the host organization of IYSECC, and a number of youth around the Asia-Pacific region.
At the Summit, SSC organizers developed lasting friendships and strong global connections while simultaneously facilitating personalized trainings about organizing strategies and grassroots youth campaigns. SSC organizers provided examples of successful American organizing techniques to Chinese youth participants and discussed possible integration strategies for localized projects.
If you are a youth organizer interested in building a partnership with Chinese youth organizers, check out the recently-launched Online Youth Exchange program and apply TODAY!
CYCAN estimates that approximately 280 young people from around the Asia-Pacific region, including participants outside of CYCAN and SSC, came together during this summit to learn more about climate change, renewable energy, and the annual international climate negotiations (UNFCCC). Specially-selected speakers presented on a variety of climate-relevant topics, such as the Green Climate Fund, Intended Nationally Determined Contributions (INDC), and China’s clean energy future. Discussion of these topics were designed to prepare IYSECC participants for the upcoming climate negotiations in Paris, 21st Conference of the Parties (COP21) and to encourage youth to take decisive action to move their countries toward a clean energy future.
Prominent keynote speakers at the summit called for global youth collaboration and for ambitious climate actions to be taken. The speakers included
Sophia Quach, Director of University Cooperation at the Consulate General of France in Guangzhou, who emphasized that “climate change knows no borders;”
Randall Robinson, Environment, Science, Technology, and Health Consul at the American Consulate General in Guangzhou, who stated that “the United States and China will demonstrate clean energy on the ground;”
Chinese climate leaders, such as Jiang Nanqing, United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) Beijing office, and Li Junfeng, Director of National Center for Climate Change Strategy and International Cooperation, who emphasized the need for Chinese youth innovation in green technology research and development; and Li Junfeng, who said “climate change is the number one greatest challenge for the future development of the human race.” (translated)
The bottom line is that climate change is not a localized issue, and youth from around the world need to act on climate now to protect #OurFuture. Click HERE to learn more about the 2015 solidarity statement that U.S. and Chinese youth are signing on to.