The Inaugural Climate Leaders' Assembly and Youth Leadership at COP28

Dear Carbonless Community,

After a fruitful time at COP28, we are back with our highlights in December, featuring an interview with youth climate leader Samantha T. and takeaways from our inaugural Climate Leaders’ Assembly in Dubai on 30 November 2023. We implemented the Carbonless Unconference format to cultivate strategic partnerships and propel action for specific projects in Asia and the developing world. It stands as a distinctive initiative, and we're proud to have organized it. Our heartfelt thanks go to the dedicated individuals who collaborated with us, contributing to the Assembly's success.

Our sincere gratitude goes to our co-hosting sponsors, the COP28 Singapore Pavilion and Bain & Company, and our invaluable partners - our Catalyst Sponsor Amazon Web Services (AWS), and the Co-conveners of the Assembly: Conservation International, the World Economic Forum / GAEA, and Temasek.

This is just the beginning, and we look forward to 2024 with all of you.

We invite you to share your thoughts and comments from your COP28 experience or your year of working on decarbonization. As always, we eagerly await your feedback and invite you to share the themes you'd like to see covered in future editions. Your ideas and insights are invaluable to us—if you have a story to share, let us know here.

2023 has been a thrilling journey with you - and we hope you enjoy this last newsletter of the year!

Carbonless Interview

The presence of youth voices at COP28 holds immense importance. Their perspectives and innovative ideas contribute dynamism to the climate action discourse. Beyond being future leaders, they actively shape the present conversation on climate change.

In addressing the urgency of the crisis, providing a platform for these voices ensures diverse viewpoints are considered, leading to more inclusive and robust sustainable solutions. We spoke with Samantha T. who represented Singapore's youth delegation at COP28 and at the Climate Leaders' Assembly organised by Carbonless.

Tell us about your role as the coordinator of Singapore’s youth delegation at COP 28.

Sam: As the Youth Programme Coordinator, my role was to work with the Climate Youth Development Programme (CYDP) to curate youth-led programs at the Singapore Pavilion. This included topics such as greenwashing, climate communications, entrepreneurship. We also had the wonderful opportunity to collaborate with the Youth Climate Champion and Monash Pavilion, where our youths got to share about Singapore’s Climate Youth Development program and get to network with international youth.

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How has your experience as a young climate leader in the Singapore Pavilion at COP 28 influenced your perspective on global climate action ?

Sam: I was immensely proud to share with international delegates that Singapore had committed to fully funding and providing accreditation to 20 youth participants. This was a significant step as, through discussions with other international youth, I learned that obtaining funding and accreditation for events like COP28 is consistently challenging. Many international youth had devoted three to four months canvassing for funds just to cover their flight and accommodation expenses to attend the conference.

I was inspired by youth who passionately strived to participate despite financial barriers. It showed me the remarkable level of commitment by young people and highlighted the immense value they placed on contributing to the global discourse on climate change. It emphasized the significance of empowering and including youth voices in crucial climate discussions, as they bring diverse perspectives and innovative ideas to the table. Moreover, this experience reinforced the importance of equitable access to such platforms, and I hope in future that financial constraints should not be a barrier to participation and representation, especially for those most affected by climate change.?

Overall, COP28 has solidified my belief in the power of youth engagement and the urgency for collaborative action in tackling the climate crisis. It has further motivated me to advocate for inclusive opportunities and ensure meaningful capacity building for youth.

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Are young people in Singapore more broadly engaged on climate and environment issues ?? What are their concerns ?

Sam: Yes definitely! Inevitably, even if an individual is not fully focused on sustainability, most businesses are beginning to recognize the importance of integrating sustainability into their organizations which often involve a broad spectrum of employees across different functions. On the ground, youth have demonstrated a growing awareness and passion for these pressing issues, participating in various initiatives, advocacy groups, and movements aimed at fostering sustainability and addressing environmental challenges. Their concerns span a wide spectrum, reflecting a multifaceted approach to environmental issues – such as the importance of biodiversity conservation, sustainable practices in everyday life, environmental policy and advocacy, education and awareness.

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What were your hopes and expectations of the COP 28 discussions before you arrived ?

Sam: In 2023 alone, we have witnessed natural disasters in many countries, also recorded the highest global temperatures ever. The call for action to keep below 1.5 degrees is getting more and more urgent. Hence through COP28, personally I hoped for ambitious climate commitments from countries, clear pathways to implementation in mitigation and adaptation, with also committed financial support from developed nations.

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What have been for you the key moments, announcements or insights to come out of COP 28?

Sam: There has been a lot of scepticism about the role of multilateralism and if COP28 is relevant – at the same time, I saw the value of COP28 in aggregating governments, business and civil society from all over the world where many avenues of collaboration and friendships were fostered. Key moments for me included the World Climate Action Summit, which brought together world leaders who committed to the Loss and Damage fund, the final text for Global Stock Take which included ‘transitioning away from fossil fuels for the first time in history, and of course, proud of Singapore’s commitment to global collaboration through the Financing Asia’s Transition Partnerships (FAST-P) which aims to mobilise up to US$5 billion in green finance.

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Bold action in Asia is essential to meet climate goals - is there one key area where you would like to see more progress before we get to COP 29?

Sam: Personally being involved with coastal communities in South East Asia, I would love to see more inclusion of ASEAN youth at COP28. At the moment, youth compromise approximately a third of the population in ASEAN, with numbers project to peak at 220 million by 2038. I would strongly hope to see more support for young ASEANS at the table, this could be as youth negotiators, climate scientists or advocates.

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In what ways do you think youth voices can contribute uniquely to shaping climate policies and initiatives in the region ?

Sam: Youth, particularly in ASEAN, have to adapt to the challenges of climate change – this could be finding more innovating solutions in agri due to more volatility in weather and temperatures (as an example). Youth are often looking innovative solutions to problems impacted by climate change, ?making them indispensable in shaping effective and inclusive climate policies and initiatives for a more resilient and sustainable future.

Some ways that I think youth can contribute – providing fresh perspective and insight to the table, unencumbered by traditional frameworks. They are quick to adopt and promote new technologies and alternative methods that could revolutionize climate action.

Youth are often at the forefront of grassroots movements and activism, driving public awareness and demanding accountability from policymakers. Their passion and activism serve as catalysts for change, pressuring governments and institutions to take more ambitious actions on climate change. Youth voices encompass a diverse range of perspectives, experiences, and backgrounds. This diversity allows for a more inclusive dialogue that considers various viewpoints and ensures that policies and initiatives are representative and beneficial for all communities, including marginalised groups.

Carbonless Research

Rapid decarbonization in Asia is a must, but the availability of high-quality data and analysis of the related challenges and opportunities tends to be limited, especially in emerging markets - which restricts capital flows and technology deployment. Carbonless Research addresses these information gaps by creating customized research projects for policymakers, investors, corporations and more.

We develop analysis, tools, market scoping and policy briefings, incorporating unique insights from our work on decarbonization across the Carbonless platform.? Contact us to learn more: [email protected]

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