Last week, Project Syndicate hosted its “Generation Green'' digital event in partnership with The Elders, and The Nature Conservancy on 26 January. The programme focused on generations coming together to take successful action towards the climate crisis now. With young people at the heart of the climate movement, One Young World (OYW) worked with Project Syndicate to showcase the voices of young leaders around the world as part of the event. OYW Ambassadors from eight countries contributed their perspectives.
The event emphasised that intergenerational politics sit at the center of the climate crisis. An increasingly vocal global movement of young people is demanding action from political and business leaders who will not be around when the bill for inaction comes due. The disproportionately younger societies of the Global South are wondering whether and how the older, wealthier societies of the Global North will help them with the transition to a net-zero economy. After a climate conference that left many observers disappointed, the debate now is about how political leaders can make up for lost time.
The speakers included, among others, Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr Mayor of Freetown, Sierra Leone; Ban Ki-moon Deputy Chair of The Elders, former Secretary-General of the UN; Patricia Espinosa Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC; Mary Robinson Chair of The Elders, former President of Ireland.
The Ambassadors who contributed to the segment included:
- Nasha Cuello, Argentina
- Olasupo Abideen, Nigeria
- Natālija Knipše, Latvia
- Jonah Messinger, United States
- Nathalie Aue, Venezuela
- José Daniel Madrigal, Honduras
- Evan Barnard, United States
- Neeshad Shafi, Qatar
- Nayeema N. Khan, Bangladesh
- Redwan Uz Zaman Reham, Bangladesh
The film was produced by Andrew Gilhooly.