It is as students, young lawyers and actors of tomorrow that today we take the floor to express ourselves on an issue that seriously concerns us: the state of the planet, the risks caused by climate change and the responses that we consider insufficient on the part of governments and the international community.
Posted yesterday at 2:00 p.m.
We are that future generation that sees the Amazon going up in smoke, glaciers melting and biodiversity disappearing at a breakneck pace.
We are that future generation that has seen politicians make commitments “for our own good”, without managing to reverse the trend.
We are this future generation that continues to mobilize to convince our governments of the urgency and seriousness of the situation and push them to action. In vain.
Action is a necessity
We are flabbergasted. The 27e Conference of the Parties (COP27) marks the 30e anniversary of the international framework for climate negotiations. Thirty years without real results, to the detriment of the interests and needs of civil society and populations, in particular the most vulnerable. The most recent studies confirm that States and their representatives have been unable to set sufficient objectives to avoid the worst, let alone to respect them.
This situation is unacceptable. It demonstrates the limits of international environmental governance. We observe a major gap between climate issues, the needs of populations and the responses of decision-makers at the international level.
Our voice matters
Today, we are very little involved in the search for solutions at the international level. It is paradoxical and counter-productive. We need to be given a voice.
According to international agreements, States are responsible for establishing a framework of action for the protection of the environment. According to these same texts, as a young generation, we have the right to be consulted and to be involved.
In this sense, Canada is committed, under the Paris Agreement, to improving public participation, public access to information and cooperation at all levels on climate change.
Furthermore, the Rio Declaration recognizes that “ [l]he best way to deal with environmental issues is to ensure the participation of all concerned citizens, at the appropriate level”. It also recognizes the crucial role of young people: “ [i]The creativity, ideals and courage of young people around the world must be mobilized to forge a global partnership, so as to ensure sustainable development and guarantee a better future for everyone”.
Young generation, we grew up alongside climate issues. Lawyers in the making in law and international law programs, we follow a training that allows us to understand the complexity of legal issues related to climate change.
What we ask
As COP27 begins, we encourage our governments to consider the following proposals:
- A declaration of climate emergency and an acknowledgment of historical responsibilities: we ask you to recognize the scale and gravity of the situation, by declaring a state of climate emergency on an international scale and by mobilizing financial resources as soon as possible promised, now for many years; we ask you to acknowledge your respective historical responsibilities with respect to greenhouse gas emissions and the evolution of climate change. From a climate justice perspective, it is unacceptable for States to take refuge behind their current levels of greenhouse gas emissions to escape their historical responsibilities. Each state must do its fair share.
- Integrate our group into state delegations and COPs: we ask you to involve young people throughout the negotiation process, before, during and after the COPs. Today it is essential to change the way in which negotiations take place and to open up the circles reserved for States, particularly by integrating the younger generations. For this, we ask to be able to benefit from representatives within the official delegations of our governments. This will enrich the diversity of perspectives and approaches within the delegations and, consequently, within the negotiation forums.
- Create a Forum of Young Lawyers in International Environmental Law: We ask you to recognize young lawyers as a legitimate group of civil society and their role in the fight against climate change. We ask you to increase the direct and indirect influence of young lawyers in processes related to climate issues by creating a Forum of Young Lawyers in International Environmental Law. This civic body would constitute a meeting and work hub for young lawyers from all walks of life who are concerned about climate issues.
* Co-signatories: Dounia Ahmad, Sofia Aissaoui, Emma Boisbunon, Chloé Benoit, Laetitia Bilodeau, Jennifer Bubar, Brianna Brassard, Luca Cezário Tostes Tito, Shyana Charest, Geneviève Charrette, Mathilde Chouinard, Kadiatou Cellou Barry, Sarah-Jade Cyr, Kim Dagenais, Maïka Desjardins, Axel Delannay, Lilly Dorléan, Marie Dykukha, Isadora dos Santos Rodrigues, Cielo Fernandez Otoya, Maxim Francœur, Ariane Giguère, Marianne Hannoun, Anyssa Ibrahim, Claudia Jarry, Sara Johnson, Elena Kamanayo, Dania Kolanitch, Megan L’Abbé, Clovis Lachance, Émilie Latreille, Julie Lessard, Haoran Liu, Marine Audrey Malatchoumy, Timothée Mesnildrey, Yvette Meta Tshibuabua, Alexandre Ross, Maryanne Rouzou, Pauline Rivera, Sophia Scali, Alexandra Terrault, Élisabeth Thibault, Romane Vachon, Claudia Valcarcel Acurio, Elizabeth Viau
This open letter is the result of the collective work of students in international environmental law at UQAM and the University of Ottawa. This initiative was coordinated by Professors Alexandre Lillo and Thomas Burelli. She is supported by the Quebec Center for Environmental Law and the Center for Environmental Law and Global Sustainability.