Participation of the World Scout Team at COP17

The World Scout Team at the COP17 has been shuttling down the corridors and pavements of the ICC urging the leaders of the world to reconsider the future of the young people specifically the 30million large that are members of the Movement.

The team has been actively involved in the working groups of Youth Non-Governmental Organizations (YOUNGOs). On September 28, 2009 the international youth movement (YOUNGO) gained official constituency status.

The provisional status took effect in November 2009 and will continue through to the first sessional period in 2011. On practical terms, YOUNGO is given the opportunity to address the plenary, High Level Segment of a COP/CMP, make submissions (individual youth organizations included), attend workshops, meet with officials of the Convention such as SBI/AWG Chairs and COP President.

They also organize Young and Future Generation's Day during the COP/CMP, organizing a series of side events, exhibits, interviews, media stunts, etc.

From the different working groups of YOUNGO, the WOSM Team at COP17 has been able to push and contribute to key legislations in the policy papers that have been drafted by the negotiators.

This continued pressure by YOUNGO (and the members of the relevant working groups) has lead to the recognition of the importance of taking into account, gender aspects and acknowledging the role and needs of youths and persons with disabilities in capacity building activities.

Youth is now in the text.

They also urged the leaders of states of the world to :

• Fulfil their inter-generational responsibility to preserve the earth for our and future generations,
• Revise national legislation in order to implement a system that explicitly integrates climate change considerations in every decision making procedure on local, regional or national level(climate mainstreaming), and
• Adopt a legally binding and globally fair document in which all states commit to limiting the average global warming to a maximum 2°C by 2020.

Source: http://www.scout.org