MATATA
As the world prepares for COP30 in Belém, Indigenous youth are calling for a transformation in how their voices are included in climate governance. Yet, participation remains limited. According to a 2020 survey of Indigenous youth engaged in climate activism, 47% said their input is “sometimes” incorporated into climate efforts, while 33% said it happens only “rarely or occasionally.”
A 2023 report by the Rights and Resources Initiative (RRI) underscores that change is possible through intergenerational collaboration. It finds that mentorship between elders and youth strengthens Indigenous and local leadership, as established rightsholder organizations actively guide young community members, and Indigenous mentors working in government or academia share lessons from their own struggles to create space for the next generation. Through these relationships, young people gain not only support, but also a deeper understanding of the power of intergenerational solidarity. Empowering Indigenous and local community youth, the report concludes, must be a shared, intergenerational effort.
Deborah Sanchez, Director of CLARIFI, echoes this call: “Young leaders cannot remain passive in the face of accelerating climate degradation. Intergenerational responsibility means empowering youth to challenge systemic injustice and lead policy change. It also requires creating equal, youth-centered dialogue that fosters egalitarian exchange between generations and ensures their initiatives receive the funding needed for innovative ideas to thrive.”
Across generations, Indigenous leaders from Honduras, Nepal, and the Philippines are already shaping this new vision for climate action, where youth are authentically central to decision-making, and where direct funding fuels community-led innovation. In the reflections below, they share how intergenerational leadership and local solutions are driving a more resilient future for our planet.
1. What role would you like to see youth playing at the upcoming COP30? What would successful youth participation look like to you?
At COP30, youth have the potential to serve as critical bridges between global policy processes and the lived realities of communities on the frontlines of climate change.
Sabba Rani Maharjan, Asia Youth Convener, Rights and Resource Initiative, (Newa, Nepal): “Restricted accreditation, inadequate travel funding, and lack of institutional support continue to exclude many from the very spaces where their futures are being negotiated. For youth from the Global South, access to the negotiation table still feels oceans away: a privilege that we don't have. The first step toward meaningful participation is to be recognized as part of the solution, not an afterthought. We are the heirs of resilience, carrying the wisdom of our ancestors who taught us how to live with nature, not against it.”
Funa-ay Claver, CLARIFI Youth Steering Committee Member, (Bontok Igorot, Philippines): “I want to see the youth getting involved in high-stakes meetings and discussions, in vital gatherings that have the potential to make decisions that push for genuine change for our climate justice efforts. The youth should not remain mere tokenistic representations in the upcoming COP30 but rather be at the center of this event.”
Deborah Sanchez, CLARIFI Director, (Miskitu, Honduras): “I hope the youth movement feels truly empowered at this COP and, most importantly, that they take the stage, claim the spaces, and share their voices with confidence. The youth movement is growing stronger every day, even within the RRI coalition. They met in Bali earlier this year for the Global Youth Forum to prepare their roadmap and key messages for COP. Our role now is to create the conditions for them to lead. We need to step back a little and let them step forward. Youth should be among the strongest voices at this COP, bringing their energy, vision, and determination to shape the future.”
2. What knowledge would you like to gain from the experiences of elders who have been at the forefront of these fora (COPs and other international events) in the past?
From the elders who have participated in global negotiations, valuable lessons emerge on how courage and strategy are maintained in spaces that have not always been inclusive of Indigenous and other underrepresented voices, and how opportunities are created within systems that have historically limited participation.
Sabba Rani Maharjan, Asia Youth Convener, Rights and Resource Initiative, (Newa, Nepal): “Many of our elders and we as youth leaders have learned to speak two languages: that of our people and that of diplomacy. It is out of compulsion, not choice. I want to learn how they bridge these two worlds without losing who they are. Their ability to advocate in negotiation halls while staying rooted in ancestral wisdom is a skill that youth can carry forward into the next era of global leadership. As youth, we often face burnout, so learning from elders how to transform pain into purpose is a form of wisdom we need just as much as technical knowledge. Their wisdom shows us that leadership is not about conquering but about caring: for the land, the people, and the generations yet to come.”
Funa-ay Claver, CLARIFI Youth Steering Committee Member, (Bontok Igorot, Philippines): “Any knowledge passed down from intergenerational knowledge transfer is important, be it learnings from successes or failures. I think the youth have the disadvantage of being inexperienced, and so elders and those well-versed in events like COP now bear the responsibility of guiding the youth on how to navigate such complex fora.”
Deborah Sanchez, CLARIFI Director, (Miskitu, Honduras): “Sometimes youth may lack experience, but experience can be learned. I want to encourage and support young leaders to organize their thoughts, navigate negotiations, and move confidently within delegations at large international fora. One crucial piece of advice is that they should reach out to their country representatives and use the space of COP to hold bilateral meetings with key stakeholders from their countries. This will help them understand national dynamics, shape negotiations, and advocate for their priorities, not only at the global level, but also within their own countries at the national level.”
3. What is a key message that you would like to transmit to decision-makers at COP30 from your generation's perspective?
COP30 is being called the COP of the People, but it is also the COP of the Pledges. It is a key moment to move from promises to practical pathways that put resources directly into the hands of those protecting the world’s lands and ecosystems.
Funa-ay Claver, CLARIFI Youth Steering Committee Member, (Bontok Igorot, Philippines): “The youth are primary stakeholders, and the youth should be involved in every aspect of COP. It is our generation that will get to inherit this world, and we are already living the reality of climate injustice. We want to be starting to pass on the knowledge we ourselves have gathered to the next generation, to break the notion of decision-making being limited to a certain age you have to be. The youth is leading the movements!”
Sabba Rani Maharjan, Asia Youth Convener, Rights and Resource Initiative, (Newa, Nepal): “At COP30, the youth of the RRI coalition are launching a Youth Climate Justice Statement that captures our generation’s vision for transformative climate action—rooted in justice, rights, and youth leadership. The statement calls for urgent protection of the collective rights and territories of Indigenous Peoples, Afro-descendant Peoples, and local communities, with Free, Prior, and Informed Consent as a non-negotiable principle. It demands just, community-led climate solutions grounded in renewable energy, intercultural and decolonizing environmental education, and meaningful participation of young leaders in climate governance through adequate training and transparent funding. We urge world leaders to move beyond promises—to center Indigenous and youth leadership, ensure political urgency and financing for rights-based solutions, embed intergenerational justice in policy, and strengthen global youth solidarity in pursuit of the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C goal.”
Deborah Sanchez, CLARIFI Director, (Miskitu, Honduras): “This COP is the COP of the People, but also the COP of the Pledges! For the Forest Tenure Funders Group Pledge, for example, we’re calling for up to 40% of funds to go directly to Indigenous Peoples, local communities, and Afro-descendant Peoples, and youth must be part of this commitment. Across their territories, young people are already leading with innovation, blending traditional knowledge with modern technology to protect their lands. They monitor forests with drones, document land rights violations, tell their stories on TikTok, and share ancestral wisdom through videos and digital platforms. In doing so, they turn technology and innovation into tools for the protection and resilience of our territories. Including youth in the Pledge isn’t just symbolic; the lands we seek to protect are already being cared for by our youth.”
