Beyond COP Attendance: Young climate leaders call for knowledge-based participation in global decisions

Young climate leaders from across Africa say meaningful youth participation in climate governance must move beyond presence at international conferences to developing the technical knowledge needed to influence decisions.

Their call follows a week-long climate negotiation training organized under the African Youth Negotiators Fellowship (AYNF) Cohort 5 by the Green Africa Youth Organization (GAYO) from July 4 to July 8, 2026 in Accra.

Participants from Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Senegal were trained on climate diplomacy, negotiation processes, climate finance, the science of climate change and the workings of the United Nations climate system.

For many of the participants, the training revealed that effective participation in climate negotiations requires more than passion for climate action.

Sheila Anyango from Kenya, who is already part of Kenya's climate negotiation team, said the fellowship helped her appreciate the importance of building technical capacity before entering negotiation spaces.