YOUTH VOICES PLEA TO COP LEADERS

HEADLINE: Youth Voices Plea to COP Leaders 
DURATION: 03.06
SOURCE:  NATURE POSITIVE
RESTRICTIONS:  ACCESS ALL PLATFORMS IN PERPETUITY; NO ARCHIVE RESALES

STORYLINE 

This week, Politicians from around the world will travel thousands of miles to convene at COP28 in Dubai. It is here that the future of our planet is up for discussion, and young people are demanding to have their voices heard. With their future on the line, they deliver messages to world leaders, calling for a just and equitable future where nature is allowed to thrive.

SOUNDBITES

Karen Brewer-Carías, Conservationist

“As a young conservationist, my message to COP leaders is to really understand that our well-being and the well-being of our loved ones depend on you, depend on the decisions that you make and depend on nature. Because if nature is thriving, we will thrive too. And we need to understand that”.


Louis Hynes, Student

“This is my message to world leaders at COP. We live in a world which has been sustained by natural processes. In combating the climate catastrophe, we need to look to nature-based solutions in order to inform long-term solutions for this crisis.” 


Julia Hoffmann, Student

“My plea to policy makers and world leaders at COP28 is to take a very serious look at nature-based solutions in the fight against climate change. Because one way or another, nature is going to reclaim this planet. And I would much rather it be side by side with humans than without us. My hometown of Shanghai is always first on the list of cities that will soon be underwater.(...) Very soberingly, when you look at graphics of Shanghai in 2050, a lot of greater Shanghai of my hometown is going to be underwater.”


Iro Tsarmpopoulou-Fokianou, Conservationist

“As a young conservationalist is my message to COP leaders would be take conservation as a social justice issue. We cannot have one without the other. We need to focus on nature issues as social issues today”.


Joseph Roy, Conservationist 

“As a young scientist I want to tell the COP leaders that all the changes should happen from within. Like we can make small changes that with people it will build up and make a bigger change.”


Felix Foot, Student

“My message to the leaders of COP is this. We as young people try to control what we can. But at the end of the day, it makes no sense when the governments and leaders of our countries don't put nature and climate as their top priority.”


Reuben Meadows, Student

“My message to world leaders at COP28 is that young people are more than just angry voices. As much as we confront big business, big business also needs to confront the anxieties and worries of young people in order to create constructive dialogues between climate change policy and direct action and youth organisation on the ground.”

Will McCaffery, Student

“To the world leaders at COP28. Nature needs a voice at this conference. It'll be the voice of the young people. The lobbyists and political advisors may not like this long-term public solution, but the young people call on you to have an effective long-term solution to this long-term catastrophe.”

1. Exterior of COP28 
2. Interior, people queuing for COP28 
3. Exterior panning of conference space, people moving around. 
4. SOUNDBITE, KAREN BREWER CARIAS, CONSERVATIONIST (ENGLISH) 

As a young conservationist, my message to COP leaders is to really understand that our well-being and the well-being of our loved ones depend on you, depend on the decisions that you make and depend on nature. Because if nature is thriving, we will thrive too. And we need to understand that.

5. SOUNDBITE: LOUIS HYNES, STUDENT (ENGLISH)

This is my message to world leaders at COP. We live in a world which has been sustained by natural processes. In combating the climate catastrophe, we need to look to nature-based solutions in order to inform long-term solutions for this crisis. 

6. SOUNDBITE JULIA HOFFMAN, STUDENT (ENGLISH)

My plea to policy makers and world leaders at COP28 is to take a very serious look at nature-based solutions in the fight against climate change. Because one way or another, nature is going to reclaim this planet. And I would much rather it be side by side with humans than without us. My hometown of Shanghai is always first on the list of cities that will soon be underwater.(...) Very soberingly, when you look at graphics of Shanghai in 2050, a lot of greater Shanghai of my hometown is going to be underwater.

7. Flowers close up
8. SOUNDBITE IRO TSARMPOPOULOU-FOCIANOU, CONSERVATIONIST, (ENGLISH)

As a young conservationist my message to COP leaders would be take conservation as a social justice issue. We cannot have one without the other. We need to focus on nature issues as social issues today.

9. SOUNDBITE JOSEPH ROY, CONSERVATIONIST  (ENGLISH)

As a young scientist I want to tell the COP leaders that all the changes should happen from within. Like we can make small changes that with people it will build up and make a bigger change.

10. SOUNDBITE FELIX FOOT, STUDENT (ENGLISH)

My message to the leaders of COP is this. We as young people try to control what we can. But at the end of the day, it makes no sense when the governments and leaders of our countries don't put nature and climate as their top priority.

11. Close up of dew on grass blades

12. SOUNDBITE REUBEN MEADOWS, STUDENT (ENGLISH)

My message to world leaders at COP28 is that young people are more than just angry voices. As much as we confront big business, big business also needs to confront the anxieties and worries of young people in order to create constructive dialogues between climate change policy and direct action and youth organisation on the ground.

13. SOUNDBITE WILL MCCAFFERY, STUDENT, (ENGLISH) 

To the world leaders at COP28. Nature needs a voice at this conference. It'll be the voice of the young people. The lobbyists and political advisors may not like this long-term public solution, but the young people call on you to have an effective long-term solution to this long-term catastrophe.