Siamak Sam Loni, SDSN Youth

Siamak Sam Loni, SDSN Youth

The SDSN Youth Division aims to integrate the Sustainable Development Goals ( SDGs) and climate change and see how young people can contribute to achieving solutions. Siamak believes that the SDGs and climate change are transformative agendas because they aim to radically transform our economic and political societies and restructure society. Young people are at the forefront of this transformation because they have the creativity to imagine an alternative future, the energy to bring it into the public agenda and can look at transformation in terms of generational change. The SDSN is at COP21 to work with other young people around the world to bring ideas and build solutions. They believe young people should have not just a voice but be able to meaningfully contribute to COP21 discussions. Siamuk tells Climate Home that governments need to not just listen to young people but give them ownership within the climate action process. If youth don’t feel the part of the climate agenda then the agenda has little prospect for success. Integrating youth into the COP21 discussions and climate policy is essential because climate change is an intergenerational issue. Finally, Siamuk tells us that during his time at COP21 he wants to identify the local projects are working on and tell these stories to the world.