COP18 (05/12/12) – Laurence Watson from the UK Youth Climate Coalition talks about the work that youth can do putting pressure on governments.

He says that where governments are able to manoeuvre it can be difficult to really know the impact that the youth can have in their actions and whether they can spark a thought in the negotiators head and change their attitudes. He adds that it is also hard to predict the impact actions and messages disseminated at this COP could have further down the line.

He talks about the relationship the UKYCC has had with the UK government and says that while they are keen to talk about the work they are doing they are less keen to discuss what needs to be done and do not want to discuss the big issues.

He talks about how impressed he has been at this first COP meeting in seeing the capabilities and the enthusiasm of young people from all around the world and how similar they all are whatever country they come from.

He finishes by talking about the ways they will be communicating their message back home and how important it is to break down the complex UNFCCC process into language people will understand. He says that young people are able to use social media, as well as traditional media and their personal relationships across the country to ensure their message gets heard.