Young people worldwide face immense challenges as they fight for a sustainable future amidst the climate crisis. At the United Nations Climate Talks (COP29), their voices echo with anger, urgency, and hope despite years of insufficient progress.

Marinel Ubaldo of the Philippines represents the resilience of this generation. At just 16, she witnessed two catastrophic typhoons that devastated her community, destroying homes, schools, and lives. Missing months of education was a harsh awakening for her. Now 27 and attending her sixth COP summit, Ubaldo remains skeptical but determined. “It’s tiring to be a poster child,” she says. Still, she hopes this summit will bring clearer results.

Her frustration is not unfounded. This year’s conference sees fewer leaders in attendance, reflecting a decline in political will in countries like the US and Germany. For youth from climate-vulnerable regions, participating in COP is often prohibitively expensive and logistically difficult. Moreover, COP29 marks the third consecutive summit in an authoritarian nation, where protests and free speech are tightly controlled.

“Youth forums are often on the margins of decision-making,” explains Felipe Paullier, the UN Assistant Secretary-General for Youth Affairs. Efforts are underway to formalize youth involvement in these talks, but progress remains slow. Meanwhile, children worldwide bear disproportionate impacts of climate change, including malnutrition and heat-related illnesses. “We are failing children,” says UNICEF’s Kitty van der Heijden.

Activists like Fathimath Raaia Shareef from the Maldives exemplify the personal toll of climate change. Her grandmother was displaced from their ancestral island due to rising sea levels, and the 20-year-old has been haunted by nightmares of her homeland sinking. “How can I focus on anything else when my home is at risk?” she asks.

Despite these challenges, young leaders continue to push forward. For many, speaking out isn’t a choice—it’s a necessity. Yet, their persistent efforts often feel futile, especially as global warming projections remain stagnant year after year. “For youth from vulnerable nations, the burden to advocate is overwhelming,” Shareef notes.

At 15, Francisco Vera Manzanares from Colombia has already attended four COP summits. He calls these conferences essential but frustratingly slow, creating a “credibility crisis” in the institutions tasked with global cooperation. “People listen to children, but truly hearing us is different,” he says.

These activists are united by a shared conviction: their generation has the most to lose—and the most to save. “It’s our rights, our future, and our present,” Vera concludes, urging adults to amplify youth voices and take urgent action before it’s too late.

Their resilience, even in the face of adversity, serves as a stark reminder of the stakes in the fight against climate change.

(This article is a reworked version of a PTI feed)