The voices of youth at climate talks

Jul 31

*Annabelle Liao, left, and Julie Boyce, student energy program manager, at the 2024 Globe Forum. Photo by Jania Husbands-Jackson*

By Patricia Lane & Annabelle Liao

These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity.

Annabelle Liao strives to increase youth engagement and representation in climate action spaces and at decision-making tables. This 22-year-old University of British Columbia undergraduate student was named a Starfish Canada 2023 Top 25 Environmentalist and has been selected to participate in UBC’s Climate Storytelling Fellowship leading up to the August 2024 Communicating Climate Hope conference.

Tell us about your project.

I attended the United Nations 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) as a member of the ClimaTalk delegation, an NGO with members in over 30 countries. We helped young people engage in climate policy more effectively by breaking down complex UN processes, translating the jargon in the negotiations and agreements and providing a platform for youth voices. ClimaTalk has other projects too, like maintaining a database of youth involved in climate-related litigation and climate-relevant university courses.

YCAA recipients

Peter Allan

The voices of youth at climate talks

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