Sail for Climate Action of Latin American and the Caribbean to Europe

Youth around the world are actively engaged in climate action, leading and participating in a multitude of initiatives at local, sub-national, national, and international levels. In their work they face different challenges depending on the surroundings and circumstances. The project aims to bring youth active in the efforts to combat climate change in and from the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) Region together and give them a platform to share their stories. The sailing trip provides the chance to travel to Europe in a sustainable way, create a community on board and work in a different environment that will enable the participants to think out of the box. The trip will be accompanied by a capacity building programme in international climate change policy, skills sharing and an interactive think tank on pressing issues of the climate crisis.

The sailing voyage will be followed by a tour through Europe to visit different locations, organisations and initiatives to further build networks and empower the participants. These visits will provide a platform for youth from LAC region to share their experiences. Meeting European youth allows them to discuss new perspectives and approaches regarding climate action and gain an in-depth understanding of the UNFCCC processes as well as ongoing technical discussions on a global level.

From 1 - 10 June 2020 the participants will join the UN Climate Change Conference (formally called 52 nd session of the subsidiary bodies to the UNFCCC or SB52; informally called “Intersessionals”) that will take place in Bonn, Germany. The conference is focused on technical discussions, giving youth the possibility to raise their voice within the negotiations, since the conference serves as the preparation for the Climate Change Conference COP26 in December 2020 in Glasgow, Scotland.

The participation in the conference allows the youth to raise their concerns on the climate crisis,including current impacts of climate change affecting front-line communities and the expected impacts it will have on young and future generations. It also serves as an opportunity to hold their governments accountable for their commitments to climate action.