Deng Deng Deng Deng!!!

Ten Ten Ten Ten !!!

10 more days to go towards COP21. Are you excited? A group of youth from Malaysia is as much anticipated as you towards COP21.

Malaysian Youth Delegation (MYD) is a group of youth who  represent the youth climate movement in Malaysia and hold leaders accountable for their actions especially in the upcoming United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP21.

For the past decades, Malaysia has been actively participated conferences held by United Nation Framework Convention of Climate Change (UNFCCC) to combat climate change. However, the voices from the youth is unheard and not taken into account in national policy making.

Reference to Doha Work Programme on Article 6 of the Convention Decision 15/CP.18 “Public participation and public access to information are crucial in order to develop and implement effective policies, as well as to engage all stakeholders actively in the implementation of these policies.”

In Malaysia, we foresee the importance of getting the involvement of public especially youth in climate change negotiation process for a better future. In May 2015, 15 youth have been selected to undergo capacity building to increase their knowledge on national and international UNFCCC process.  The trainers include Malaysian Negotiator, Guardian’s top young campaigners to watch in the lead up to COP21, award winning journalists, producers, editors and many more. Click here for MYD trainings series.

In October 2015, MYD has produced Malaysian Youth Statement on Climate Change to be submitted to our Prime Minister. It was a remarkable achievement for each delegation to come till this far and continue to push beyond their own limit  to create a just, safe and livable future for all.

 

Let’s have a quick view on how six of the selected MYD feels about attending upcoming COP21.

Amalen: I feel privileged. It’s not everyday you get to go overseas for anything and this experience also makes me feel more and more excited as the days grow closer, New sort of world in a few days time with people from around the world just in one spot.

Elaine: Thanks for MYD and Adrian our mentor for this “zero to hero” experience. I appreciate the experience because i’ve achieve things that i didn’t know i can achieve, like promulgation of the 1st youth statement, knowing how to read the climate information, being recognized and given the opportunity to work with negotiation team,chances of being interviewed on radio, fly to Paris to be with other ten thousands people to seek solutions and get our voices out etc. This is the 1st year of MYD, though we have gone through a lot of hiccups along the way, but i think the experience will bring next year’s delegation to a higher level. Looking forward for more Malaysian youth to join the squad. Proud to be one of the first MYD team and eager to share to and learn from the future delegates.

Emily: I feel very honoured to represent Malaysian youth for this historical occasion. Viewing at how our Malaysian negotiators are working hard and playing a crucial role in the negotiations, I’m looking forward to provide assistance to them. I’m also eager to meet and interact with international youths in climate movement and stand in line with them for this significant cause.

Jolene: I am excited. Feel like a journey with an aim to uncover how negotiation work with diverse countries and continents.

Shak: I’m very excited to learn new issues related to climate change. This will be a good platform for me to add up my life experience. I’m starting at this young age, therefore I won’t miss out later in the future and becoming more knowledgeable.

Thomas:  I believe going to COP21 will be an eye opening experience for me. It is unbelievable that i will be representing youth climate movement in Malaysia. I hope that COP21 is able to meet the objective of developing a universal legally binding agreement that will keep the global temperature rise below 2 degree Celsius.

Be with us MYD to get the latest update from COP21 as 6 of the selected MYD will be carrying out their missions which includes reporting back to the local audiences on COP21’s daily progressions, tracking policy and negotiation development as well as coordinate and collaborate with youths from other countries to mobilise and lobby the governments.