Tackling climate change as a shared global responsibility: Three insights from the Climate Youth Summit 2024

Last month, I attended the 2024 Climate and Sustainability Youth Summit, held at Imperial College London, as a representative of the Centre for Sustainable Business, King’s Business School.

The summit, hosted by the United Nations Association Climate & Oceans and the King’s Leverhulme Centre for Wildfires for Environment and Society, was held in the wake of COP 29 to raise awareness about climate and ecological issues.

The room was packed with young people and students who’d gathered to hear the panelists and experts discuss their work. From pressing issues to shared solutions, the summit offered a space for energetic discussion on the past, present, and future of climate action.

Below, I share my three main takeaways and reflections from the event.

One: The need for integrated climate action

Sir Jim Skea, Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), delivered the first speech of the summit, laying out the grave situation we face. As it stands, our current actions are nowhere near enough to limit global warming to 1.5°C in accordance with the Paris Agreement.

However, there are signs of progress that offer some hope. Sir Jim Skea highlighted that the renewable energy industry has seen a major boom in recent years, with technologies such as photovoltaic (PV) panels, wind turbines, and solar panels becoming increasingly price competitive and accessible.

We have opportunities for advancement in sectors such as energy supply, agriculture, and urban development, although achieving significant emissions reductions would require robust infrastructure systems.

These efforts should align with other sustainable development goals, ensuring that we can reconcile the material needs of the majority with the urgency of the green transition. In light of his observations at COP29, Dr Carl Wright, Secretary General Emeritus Commonwealth Local Government Forum, made this clear: “We need to look at the bigger picture and have a more integrated approach to climate action.”

Two: The challenge of sustainability in business

While sustainability is now at the forefront of business discussions, it should be viewed as more than just a trend or an afterthought. Fundamentally, businesses are profit-oriented, often making it difficult to align sustainable efforts with measurable outcomes.

Regardless, the panel discussions reached a consensus: tackling climate change should be a shared global responsibility. Businesses can rise to the challenge by integrating sustainability into their core strategies, driven by legislation, incentives and regulations to stimulate progress.

Jono Adams, Executive Director & Head of Climate EMEA, Anthesis, expanded on the role of businesses, particularly in the context of COP29 outcomes. While acknowledging obstacles such as inconsistent regulations and scalability barriers, he noted a silver lining—private finance is flowing, with investors recognizing the value of sustainability-linked initiatives.

Reflecting on the broader implications, he commented, “My hope is that as we decouple carbon impact from economic growth, we’re also focusing more on us as citizens rather than consumers.” He also reinforced that it is paramount to maintain synergies across sectors, leveraging shared solutions to push for collective and long-term business action.

Three: The urgent need for young voices

The theme of youth involvement was woven throughout the summit, going hand in hand with what’s to come for climate action. While the panel discussions acknowledged that there is a rising awareness of youth in COP negotiations, much more needs to be done to bring their voices and contributions into the limelight.

Dr Balasubramanyan Chandramohan from the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, advised youth on developing negotiation skills, excelling in their fields to establish momentum, and approaching climate issues with empathy.

Representing the youth voice, Monty Saunders of the UNA Youth Council presented the council’s annual report. It was a call to action on the importance of climate resilience in crafting a sustainable future, while also providing a reminder that human systems and ecosystems are deeply interconnected.

As the summit wrapped up, discussion turned over to the audience, inviting fresh ideas. Climate education in schools was identified as a pathway to instilling hope rather than anxiety. But beyond just learning about the crisis, students should be taught practical solutions to embolden them to make a difference.

The conversation also shifted to the responsibility of decision-makers. While youth have a vital role to play, governments should be held accountable in terms of strengthening partnerships, investments, and legislation. 

Final thoughts

The summit offered a rich breadth of subjects to consider, with panelists and attendees briefly touching on themes such as degrowth, circularity, the role of AI, biodiversity, greenwashing, misinformation, and many more. While there are undoubtedly endless more topics to consider, these discussions planted the seeds for focused and inclusive dialogues in the future.

For me, this youth summit championed the need for integrated climate action. The crux of it all is collaboration, with solutions requiring cooperation across sectors, governments, and communities. As a student and passionate advocate for a just and greener future, I hope more events like this can help to inspire not just young people, but all people, to tackle climate change as a shared responsibility.

Suchita Hariharan is a third-year student at King’s College London, studying Liberal Arts with a major in International Development. She is working with the Centre for Sustainable Business as a Communications Intern, where she supports the team to explore effective communication strategies and sustainability-focused content.

In-article images: Suchita Hariharan

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