Major Group: Children & Youth
I thank you, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to speak on behalf of the youth and children of
the world.
We agree that education is key to the implementation of sustainable development policies.
Shifting the societal consciousness requires education about issues around sustainability for both
the public and within formal education systems, in order to effectively garner understanding of
and support for sustainability.
We also understand incentivizing change to be another key component for realizing sustainable
practices. A foremost hindrance to change towards sustainability by corporations and citizens
alike is a lack of profitable incentives. Governments must implement economic and social
policies that reward the behaviors they wish to encourage, those that lead to global sustainability.
There are youth-led projects that are addressing many of the issues on sustainability we are
discussing today. These groups working are on the ground and need the support, both verbal and
financial, of their governments.
As youth, we also want to advocate for local economic control and ownership. This is a crosscutting
issue that solves both social and environmental obstacles to sustainability and includes
access to affordable capital and support of entrepreneurship.
Last, we believe that nations should measure progress using growth indexes that account for
social and environmental factors, not only economic factors as GNP does.
Many delegates have brought up the point that, in the future, youth will ask about why we didn't
take action now about these important issues. The time for saying this, however, is over: youth
are asking you now.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
the world.
We agree that education is key to the implementation of sustainable development policies.
Shifting the societal consciousness requires education about issues around sustainability for both
the public and within formal education systems, in order to effectively garner understanding of
and support for sustainability.
We also understand incentivizing change to be another key component for realizing sustainable
practices. A foremost hindrance to change towards sustainability by corporations and citizens
alike is a lack of profitable incentives. Governments must implement economic and social
policies that reward the behaviors they wish to encourage, those that lead to global sustainability.
There are youth-led projects that are addressing many of the issues on sustainability we are
discussing today. These groups working are on the ground and need the support, both verbal and
financial, of their governments.
As youth, we also want to advocate for local economic control and ownership. This is a crosscutting
issue that solves both social and environmental obstacles to sustainability and includes
access to affordable capital and support of entrepreneurship.
Last, we believe that nations should measure progress using growth indexes that account for
social and environmental factors, not only economic factors as GNP does.
Many delegates have brought up the point that, in the future, youth will ask about why we didn't
take action now about these important issues. The time for saying this, however, is over: youth
are asking you now.
Thank you, Mr. Chairman.