President Stevo Pendarovski today signed the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action. Young activists who participated in the Youth Climate Summit in Skopje, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Naser Nuredini and UNICEF Representative to the country Patrizia DiGiovanni all attended the signing.
As the Cabinet of the President announced, on the occasion of the signing of the Declaration, a thematic debate was held where the commitments from this year’s Climate Change Summit COP26 held in Glasgow were discussed, current activities that are being undertaken by the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning and the next steps at the national level.
Photo: President Pendarovski, young activists who participated in the Youth Climate Summit in Skopje, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Naser Nuredini and UNICEF Representative to the country Patrizia DiGiovanni at the signing of the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action
The young activists, as is indicated, discussed possibilities for their wider involvement in decision-making processes and creating policies on climate change and expressed interest in the measures that are being taken for protection of forests, reducing and preventing waste and improving air quality.
President Pendarovski welcomed the enthusiasm of the youth and outlined that this Declaration reminds is that one of the main motives for dealing with climate change is precisely the youth, that is, their right to a safe climate and healthy environment.
– We must create space for the youth as the most informed and most digitalized generation to be involved in dealing with environmental problems and for them to express their opinion on climate policies, said President Pendarovski, adding that it is especially important to raise public awareness and train the youth, for which it is necessary to integrate climate and environmental aspects in the National Strategy for Education, namely, in the curricula.
Minister Nuredini shared the national climate ambitions and encouraged young people to actively participate in the adoption of the first Law on climate action that will legally pave the way towards carbon neutrality of the country.
UNICEF Representative Patrizia DiGiovanni, welcoming the signing of the Declaration, said that this document shows the efforts of the countries to take into consideration the needs, rights and perspectives of children in climate change policies at all levels.
–The signing of the Declaration is an important moment that follows the Youth Climate Summit, where we listened to the young people, their concerns and calls for action for environmental protection. At the same time, it shows the enormous capacity of children and young people to be powerful agents of change, said DiGiovanni, adding that the climate crisis is a crisis of children’s rights.
Photo: President Pendarovski and young activists who participated in the Youth Climate Summit in Skopje, at the signing of the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action
North Macedonia joined some thirty European signatory countries of the Declaration on Children, Youth and Climate Action, which was adopted at the Climate Change Summit in Madrid in 2019. One of the goals of the Declaration is to increase participation of children and youth in the processes for mitigation and adaptation of climate change through greater education on climate change and the environment, as well as acquiring knowledge and skills necessary to protect themselves and to contribute to a safe and sustainable future.
During the visit to the Cabinet, within the “Open Cabinet” program, the young activists were familiarized with the history of the building, with some of the activities that are realized, as well as with the manner of functioning of this institution. They had the opportunity to visit the rooms where official and working meetings are held, as well as the halls for ceremonies, meetings, events and press conferences.
Translation: N. Cvetkovska
