Y7 Climate & Environment track policies announced

After collecting thousands of young people’s thoughts, views and experiences across the world, the Y7 Climate & Environment delegates have put together policy suggestions to be presented at the Y7 14th-15th May. These will then be presented to the world leaders at the G7 summit in Cornwall, UK on June 11-13th, 2021.

“Leaders must accelerate socially just transitions to long-term, sustainable practices to protect future generations’ livelihoods. We envisage a world where Indigenous communities, women and girls are engaged and empowered to participate in decision-making to ensure societies and natural ecosystems thrive together.”

The suggested policies focus on:

Digital Education

By 2030, Y7 delegates call for G7 leaders to implement:

1. Develop an inclusive, efficient and transboundary system of carbon pricing through global coordination, avoiding energy poverty, and enhancing the redistribution of these revenues towards a globally affordable clean energy transition.

2. Reorient public and private financial investments away from fossil fuels, further, by 2021, set plans for financial reorientation using ‘brown’ taxonomy to meet the G7’s and global NDCs by 2030.

3. Increase funding for green, climate-resilient research significantly through multilateral agreements, set R&D targets for their net-zero ambitions in 2021, and ensure renewables make up >75% of electricity mix by 2030.

Crisis Management 

By 2030, Y7 delegates call for G7 leaders to implement:

1. Strengthen global early warning systems through climate stress-testing and knowledge-sharing on adaptation measures, and by 2022 increase co-designed risk reduction programmes with climate-vulnerable regions and marginalised communities.

2. Create a global monitoring framework with standardised indicators to identify risks of microbial pollution and zoonoses, and mitigation solutions through stronger implementation of wildlife trade and land-use regulations.

3. Mandate climate change and environmental education in curricula and corporations by 2022, with instructional agendas covering preparedness and recovery from natural and manmade disasters, combat ecological degradation and conserve biodiversity.

Sustainable Resource Management

By 2030, Y7 delegates call for G7 leaders to implement:

1. Promote pesticide-free CSA and prohibit environmentally harmful practices, by increasing usage of forestry certificates for imported products and promoting circular land-use management, whilst increasing youth education and employment in agriculture.

2. Increase corporate transparency on polluting activities by 2021 through mandating harmonised eco-labelling systems, while developing worldwide solutions for waste streams, notably renewable energy, aligning with circular economy principles before 2030.

3. Implement a legally binding agreement for the conservation of marine biodiversity and sustainable management of all activities in the High Seas, and establish 10% of fully protected MPA by 2030.

Do you agree with these policy suggestions? Let us know in the comments below.