COP31 is arriving at a critical junction. The adoption of the Baku Adaptation Roadmap and Belém Addis Vision to support the implementation of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) provides a platform to strengthen adaptation ambition and accountability. But further clarity is urgently needed on international roles, responsibilities and mandates, and COP31 must deliver concrete steps to ensure the GGA meets the needs of children and young people.
Children and youth are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. They are also powerful agents of change who can help drive transformative climate action. Despite this, children and youth remain systematically under-prioritised in climate finance and action.
Young Lives is joining with UNICEF, Save the Children, YOUNGO, and Sanitation and Water for All to present negotiators with recommendations aimed at securing child-responsive climate action at COP31, including by:
- Establishing mechanisms to support the development of national adaptation targets and integration of the Belém Adaptation Indicators, and ensure they advance child-responsive adaptation.
- Reinforcing the mandate of data disaggregation by age, gender and disability to track whether adaptation action and finance is reaching the most vulnerable children and youth.
- Identifying gaps in the Belém Adaptation Indicators and UAE Framework targets and consider whether complementary child-responsive indicators are needed to assess the resilience of essential services on which children depend, including education.
- Operationalising the COP30 adaptation finance goal for country-led GGA implementation in a way that addresses the specific vulnerabilities of children and youth.
Young Lives will be at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, and collaborating with colleagues from UNICEF, Save the Children, YOUNGO and other partners to advocate for a positive and ambitious outcome for children and young people.
COP31 is arriving at a critical junction. The adoption of the Baku Adaptation Roadmap and Belém Addis Vision to support the implementation of the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA) provides a platform to strengthen adaptation ambition and accountability. But further clarity is urgently needed on international roles, responsibilities and mandates, and COP31 must deliver concrete steps to ensure the GGA meets the needs of children and young people.
Children and youth are disproportionately vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. They are also powerful agents of change who can help drive transformative climate action. Despite this, children and youth remain systematically under-prioritised in climate finance and action.
Young Lives is joining with UNICEF, Save the Children, YOUNGO, and Sanitation and Water for All to present negotiators with recommendations aimed at securing child-responsive climate action at COP31, including by:
- Establishing mechanisms to support the development of national adaptation targets and integration of the Belém Adaptation Indicators, and ensure they advance child-responsive adaptation.
- Reinforcing the mandate of data disaggregation by age, gender and disability to track whether adaptation action and finance is reaching the most vulnerable children and youth.
- Identifying gaps in the Belém Adaptation Indicators and UAE Framework targets and consider whether complementary child-responsive indicators are needed to assess the resilience of essential services on which children depend, including education.
- Operationalising the COP30 adaptation finance goal for country-led GGA implementation in a way that addresses the specific vulnerabilities of children and youth.
Young Lives will be at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, and collaborating with colleagues from UNICEF, Save the Children, YOUNGO and other partners to advocate for a positive and ambitious outcome for children and young people.

