A dialogue session on "The Role of Arab Children in Confronting Climate Change" took place on 9 December in collaboration between the League of Arab States, the Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood in the United Arab Emirates, the Arab Gulf Programme for Development (AGFUND), and the Arab Council for Childhood and Development. The session was held at Expo City Dubai on the main stage (Legacy) within the Green Education Platform, as part of the activities of the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) in the Emirate of Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
The dialogue included the participation of children from six Arab countries, namely the UAE, Sultanate of Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Libya, and Egypt. The event was attended by various public figures, experts, representatives of international and regional organisations, and a significant number of children from the United Arab Emirates. The primary objective was to ensure children's right to participate by providing them with a platform to express their opinions and aspirations on climate issues. Recognising them as an integral party in addressing the climate crisis, the session aimed to amplify the voices of those most affected by it.
The dialogue session, moderated by UNICEF Youth Ambassadors for the COP28 Climate Summit, delved into various critical topics. Central to the discussion was the depth of the participants' understanding of the climate crisis and its most salient manifestations. A key focal point was the exploration of the intricate connection between this crisis and children's rights, with a staggering one billion children, approximately half of the global child population, being exposed to heightened and increasingly perilous climate conditions. These range from more frequent and severe phenomena such as heat waves, droughts, hurricanes, and floods to pervasive issues like air pollution and airborne diseases.
The children actively engaged in addressing climate change, showcasing their commitment at the levels of education, awareness, advocacy, participation, and empowerment in climate action. The session concluded with a resounding message from the young participants, emphasising their role in combating climate change through the transformation of their daily practices towards sustainability. They called upon world leaders, especially those countries contributing to the crisis, to cease environmental degradation and redirect resources from warfare to strategies and programmes that confront climate change. Their plea echoed the urgent need to collectively work towards a greener, more stable, equitable, and sustainable future for the world.
