Young people have COP-ped on to the climate crisis — we must be heard

Just think about what the world might look like in 30 years' time. That’s a whole three decades of possibility ahead. Let’s make it count and include young people in the decision-making process about climate action, writes Mary Osubor Kennedy.

Mary Osubor Kennedy: "When you're a young person, you're somewhat in this grey area of not being a child but not being considered an adult either."

Exactly 30 years ago, in 1992, the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was ratified here in Ireland. 

Within that, Article 12 states that every child has the right to freely express their views in all matters affecting them, depending on the child’s maturity. But now, 30 years later, it’s still somewhat of a novelty to see young people meaningfully involved in decisions that affect us directly. 

In the last few years Ireland has taken great steps in including young people in decision-making, but there is much more work to be done. Young people have been fighting for this for years - none more so than youth activists on climate change. 

Even beyond the particular problems and solutions of the climate crisis, there is a fundamental principle we have to face up to as a country, which will strengthen our ability to meet the challenges that lie ahead with the inclusion of young people’s voices in decision-making.

If I asked you to picture someone who is a board member for a national organisation, who do you think of? What about someone who hosts national events, who is interviewed on national television, or gives speeches at academic conferences? If I told you that person was me, would you be surprised?

When you're a young person, you're somewhat in this grey area of not being a child but not being considered an adult either. We are deemed capable enough to make big decisions about our future, like what we want to spend the rest of our lives doing as a career. We can get jobs, pay taxes, and apply for a driving license. 

But on the other hand, we are not considered mature enough when it comes to other decisions that also affect our future, like who we want leading our country, or to have a real say in how issues that are really important to us are addressed - like the environment and climate action. 

A participant walks past a mock-up of the planet Earth at the Sharm el-Sheikh International Convention Centre, on the first day of the COP27 climate summit, in Egypt's Red Sea resort city of Sharm el-Sheikh. Photo: Mohammed Abed/AFP

Young people today live in this paradox, not understanding what role to play. I think that if you gradually introduce young people to decision-making earlier it would enable us to engage and become active citizens in our own country, and to grow into understanding how the world works. 

There are 18-year-olds today who are completely lost because they went from being seen as too young to have a say, to being considered a fully grown adult overnight with all the responsibilities that brings. It’s a huge transition to make and we are not properly prepared for it.

We so often hear that young people will be the next generation of leaders shaping this country in the future, which is true. But we are also citizens now, and we are important for what we can bring to the table today. 

Being able to vote at 16 would bring issues like the climate crisis much more sharply into focus. After all, it was young people who stood outside in all weathers protesting about climate change, before it was actually taken seriously and finally put at the top of the world agenda.

But still, the voices of young people like Greta Thunberg are all too often swept aside. If we don’t feel listened to, we won’t engage - and Greta herself isn’t attending COP27 this year for that very reason. 

Participants outside the main entrance of the COP27 climate conference. Photo: Sean Gallup/Getty

However, it's not as if young people are ignorant about what we’re saying. We do our research, and we look into things, particularly those issues that we care about deeply, like climate action. We are willing to learn and to share our learnings with others. Even though we might be young, when we are passionate about something we put in the work.

I'm not saying young people are all knowing - no one is. However, we are a whole sector of diverse opinions. All of us keep learning throughout our lives, whether we are 16 or 60. Having more diverse opinions and different perspectives represented in our decision-making would lead to more informed decisions, more open communication, and positive change - for all of us.

Youth climate activists today are primarily driven by the principle of bringing people with us and not leaving anyone behind. This means focusing on education, raising awareness, collaboration and bringing people into the conversation rather than being in conflict. 

And it also means including everyone no matter our background. It’s about focusing on climate justice - how we can make sure that tackling the climate crisis does not impact certain groups or communities unfairly.

I started off with the fact that it has been 30 years since the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child was ratified in Ireland. Thirty years and we’re only now beginning to see the impact of young people being meaningfully involved.

Now think ahead to 30 years from now. In 30 years, I and my peers will be the same age as many of the people leading this country now. 30 years from now will also take us beyond 2050 - the year that all our climate commitments are aiming at. 

Just think about what that world might look like. That’s a whole three decades of possibility ahead. Let’s make it count.

• Mary Osubor Kennedy from Cork city, 17, is a member of youth development organisation Foróige.