Global Youth Leadership Center, an international nonprofit, has launched its Global Youth Climate Summit, a three-day program to be held on October 20-22, in Khulna, Bangladesh, which will bring together 650 youths from 70 countries to explore how the young generation can lead the fight against climate change.
Ejaj Ahmad, founder and CEO of GYLC, at a press conference in a hotel in Dhaka on Tuesday said: "Climate change is the biggest crisis facing humanity today. After training Bangladeshi youths for the past 14 years, I am now launching a global organization to mobilize youths, especially from the global south, to tackle the climate crisis.”
“The mission of GYLC is to expand the youth's knowledge about climate science, equip them with leadership skills to take individual and collective action, and enable them to launch businesses that contribute to climate mitigation or adaptation,” he added.
“We have chosen Khulna as the venue for the inaugural GYLC Summit because Khulna is one of Bangladesh's most climate-vulnerable regions. The 150 youths who will attend the summit in Khulna will also take part in a mangrove plantation in Laudove in the coastal belt. This is part of our efforts to promote locally led climate adaptation and highlight the importance of mangroves, which are critical for human beings as well as for biodiversity."
To empower the youth to take climate action, 10 delegates at the summit will receive a grant of $1,000 each to implement their climate mitigation or adaptation project, he added.
The summit will bring together renowned climate scientists, policymakers, entrepreneurs, leadership experts and youth climate activists, and feature discussions on the science of climate change, intergenerational collaboration for climate action, the future of energy, modernizing farming and responsible consumption.
Summit speakers include Sir David King, former UK government's chief scientific advisor, Dr Dean Williams, former leadership faculty at Harvard, ICAD Director Dr Saleemul Hua, youth climate activists from Africa, America, Europe and Asia, Speaker of Parliament Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury, Prime Minister's International Affairs Advisor Dr Gowher Rizvi, British High Commissioner Robert Chatterton Dickson, Member of Parliament Nahim Razzaq, Brac Executive Director Asif Saleh and Grameenphone CEO Yasir Azman.
Grameenphone Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Hans Martin Hoegh Henrichsen said: “As part of our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, we have set a science-based target to reduce our CO2 emissions by 50% by 2030 in comparison to our 2019 levels. We believe in the power of youth and the Global Youth Climate Summit is an excellent platform for us to engage with youth and raise awareness about an urgent cause."
GYLC Chairman Neal Walker said: "Young people not only demand climate change action, but they also lead the way. Leadership, innovation and entrepreneurship all offer avenues for success. But we need action at a global level. GYLC can transform the idealism, ideas and talents of youth all over the world into results."
Youth climate activist Sohanur Rahman said: "Climate justice must take centre stage. Wealthy countries must do far more to assist developing countries in dealing with the devastation already caused due to global warming."
BYLC Executive Director Tahsinah Ahmed and youth climate activist Shakila Islam also spoke at the press conference.