CBD COP11: UN process must be made more accessible to young people

CBD COP11: UN process must be made more accessible to young people

Rio Conventions Pavilion TV, CBD COP11 (17/10/2012) – Kabir Arora, a campaigner with the Indian Youth Climate Network, discusses youth engagement at COP11 and Indian youth engagement with international environmental politics more widely.

Arora argues that youth, especially Indian youth, are underrepresented at UN events. Arora recounts that the Indian government did prepare a youth delegation for COP11, but that it was comprised solely of youth from coastal and marine areas. While he acknowledges this is a good first step, Arora feels this demonstrates a failure to recognise that biodiversity effects everyone, not just specific communities.

Arora states that the IYCN has been working as part of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network at COP11. He maintains that the bureaucratic processes of the United Nations have been a real barrier for youth engagement, making the negotiations largely inaccessible to young people.

Arora also outlines the specific work of IYCN in communicating the negotiations to those less familiar with the complex language of the UN. He says that IYCN is sharing information about the negotiations in less technical English as well as translating documents and websites into various Indian languages.