24/11/2005
– The Honourable Stéphane Dion, Minister of the Environment,
opened the International Youth Summit on Climate Change
– Beyond Kyoto – It’s Us! which will take place from November
24-28, 2005. The Summit, an ENvironnement JEUnesse initiative,
will be held at Environment Canada’s Biosphere as a parallel
event to the United Nations Climate Change Conference: Montréal
2005.
The goal of the Summit is set to engage the next generation
in the process of developing the framework for longer term
International cooperation and action on climate change;
and to engage youth by providing the capacity to build various
skills as well as give leadership and networking opportunities.
The Summit will also showcase youth initiatives and inspiration
as well as demonstrate the opportunities and challenges
of organizing a green conference. However,
the main focus of the Summit will be to produce a formal
Youth Declaration to be presented at the high-level Ministerial
Session of the United Nations Climate Change Conference.
The declaration will consider a path forward on reducing
greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) emissions.
“As participants, take advantage of this opportunity to
contribute knowledge and give life to a declaration that
can engage the next generation and show how environmental
action can lead to multiple benefits” said Minister Dion,
“Climate change is a long term issue, it requires long
term solutions, so take pride in the declaration which
will be produced in in coming days because the efforts
put forth are important to the future of all nations.”
“Youth are not only aware of the challenges of climate
change but are at the forefront of implementing solutions,
therefore I urge delegates to take this time to work collaboratively
towards solutions for climate change.” said René
Coignaud, president of ENvironnement JEUnesse.
This a historical occasion to produce an innovative unique
and powerful youth declaration which may contribute to
the overall goals of the United Nations Climate Change
Conference to implement the decisions necessary to help
make Kyoto fully operational; improve and strengthen Kyoto
mechanisms; and set an innovative future for the global
approach to climate change.
Youth delegates were selected by a coalition of Canadian
youth environmental groups who organized the Summit with
the assistance of the Government of Canada. ENvironnement
JEUnesse leads the coalition of youth groups which includes
the United Nations Association of Canada, Students on
Ice, the Youth Environmental Network, the Sierra Youth
Coalition and the Youth Climate Change Conference.
In order to have broader representation at the Summit
special emphasis was placed on geography, gender, age
and educational background for the 100 delegates that
were chosen from over 700 applicants.
The United Nations Climate Change Conference, in Montreal
from November 28 to December 9, is the first meeting of
the parties to the Kyoto Protocol since the protocol came
into force on February 16, 2005.
For more information on the Summit, please visit: www.beyondkyoto.org
For more information on United Nations Climate Change
Conference: Montréal 2005, please visit: http://www.montreal2005.gc.ca |
