Alab Mirasol Ayroso making her speech during the Youth Action in the hallways of COP29, Baku. Credit: Joyce Chimbi/IPS

By Joyce Chimbi
BAKU, Nov 17 2024 (IPS)

“We cannot rely on capitalistic logic to serve our fight for liberation. More investments will not build houses after floods because it’s not profitable. Corporations will not overthrow the industrial-agricultural complex that is completing our assault.”

So say the Alliance of Non-Governmental Radical Youths and People’s Rising for Climate Justice Youth that jointly led this youth action at the COP29 venue.

“That is why we are here to fight for the technical details to prevent the harm that money can cause. We cannot accept more loans and more debt. Climate finance cannot ‘financialize’ the climate crisis in power markets or fault solutions.”

Speaking to IPS, Alab Mirasol Ayroso said that the youth action is about their “demands as young people. We talked about fossil fuels, the phase-out of fossil fuels and more importantly, we talked about false solutions and militarization. Mostly, it’s really about recognizing the human rights in these negotiations, in these spaces where we can have real solutions if we only listen to the people on the ground.”

Drawn from all corners of the world, the youths have coalesced around issues that matter to them. Issues that they say are not a priority agenda for COP29 negotiations. They sang, chanted and, one after the other, made powerful speeches about climate change, peace and unity, human and environmental rights, the end of fossil fuels, climate debt and that rich countries and high polluters must pay.

Hajar, one of the speakers at the Youth Action, stressed that the “wealthiest nation must confront their colonial histories and make meaningful progress on reparation for loss and damage caused by their climate crisis. On demilitarization and its connection to finance stands a huge capitalist market that benefits from slaughtering, killing, and exploitation. Yet when we ask for money, there is always the same answer. There is not enough money.”

Ayroso says the young people can see through the smokescreen, hypocrisy, double speak, a lack of climate commitment and the youth agenda: “There is a lot of money. There is enough money all around, but we also know it is going to militarism, wars and genocides. There is simply no political will. This is why we refuse to be sidelined and silenced. We want the world to listen, hear us and our demands.”

“When the fire gets high. When the smoke rolls in. When the people rise. Can you hear us sing? It’s the end of fossil fuels. The end of fossil fuels. When the water gets high. When the flood rolls in. When the people rise. Can you hear us sing? It’s the end of fossil fuels. The end of fossil fuels. When the heat gets high. When the tide walks in. When the people rise. Can you hear us sing? It’s the end of fossil fuels,” they sang.

The youth want direct access for indigenous peoples, youth, children, workers, women, LGBTQIA and people with disabilities. Vowing to stand united at COP29 “until the last minute. We are in these halls to fight for our rights. There is no climate justice without human rights.

IPS UN Bureau Report