Introduction

Climate change is one of the most important issues affecting children and youth, especially in developing countries with low incomes, large rural populations, reliance on natural resources, and less robust risk management and safety nets. When it comes to decisions on climate action, adaptation, environmental protection, and sustainable development, youth are key stakeholders and have to live with the consequences of today's actions or inactions.

In addressing the impacts of climate change and sustainable development needs, it is important to engage diverse stakeholders and scale up ambition on different levels and sectors, especially in the context of raising awareness and developing innovative solutions. Youth are a key stakeholder group and also an important constituency under the UNFCCC process. The importance of youth engagement is focused on through the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) work under Article 6 of the UNFCCC and Article 12 of the Paris Agreement. ACE sets out an overarching goal to empower society, including youth, to engage in climate action through education, training, public participation, public awareness, public access to information, and international cooperation.

To better engage youth in climate action, it is important that youth are included in decision making processes such as those related to the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC), National Adaptation Plans (NAP), and other policies and actions to make them more inclusive, participatory and multi-stakeholder driven. SLYCAN Trust through its areas of focus prioritises youth as a key stakeholder in engagement and aims to identify gaps and needs for youth engagement in climate processes and climate action, and addressing them through a multi-stakeholder driven process. This workshop is organized as a part of the Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) Youth Forum 2021 and as a follow-up activity of the Global Youth Forum on Climate Change to empower youth, build capacities, and engage youth in a multi-stakeholder dialogue that leads to the development of a draft strategy for youth engagement in climate action.

Objectives

•  Discussing challenges, opportunities, and potential synergies which relate to the 6 areas of focus under ACE.

• Identifying opportunities for youth engagement in climate policy processes such as NDCs, NAPs and other related climate processes to ensure the process is inclusive and participatory.

• Gathering insights, experiences, and data for the development of a strategy for youth in climate action and climate policy processes.

• Bring together both international and national participants to share experiences, expertise and insights from countries around the world.

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  Just transition in the energy sector
  - Key elements to ensure just transition in the energy sector
  - Gaps and challenges faced in integrating aspects and strategies of just transition in the energy sector
  - Institutional structures and role of actors in achieving just transition in the energy sector
  - Entry points and opportunities for integrating just transition into climate policy initiatives and actions
  - Success stories, best practices, and experience sharing on initiatives

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  Ensuring just transition in the food sector
  - Key elements of just transition and their relation to global and local food systems
  - Gaps and challenges faced in integrating aspects and strategies of just transition in the food sector
  - Institutional structures and role of actors in achieving just transition in the food sector
  - Entry points and opportunities for integrating just transition into climate policy initiatives and actions
  - Success stories, best practices, and experience sharing on initiatives

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  Gender, inclusion, social protection, and cross-cutting aspects related to just transition
  - Key cross-cutting aspects related to just transition
  - Interlinks for integration of just transition with climate action and into different climate policy and action processes
  - Impacts of COVID-19 and the role of recovery actions in contributing toward just transition
  - Success stories, best practices, and experience sharing on initiatives