Taggart from [Earth] gave an intervention at SBSTA opening session on behalf of the youth constituency to the UNFCCC. Find the text bellow or enjoy the video.
Thank you Chair,
My name is Taggart and I am speaking on behalf of the youth constituency.
As the consequences for missing emission reduction targets become evident through extreme weather and changing climate patterns, we realize this is not hypothetical, it is happening now and people are dying. This is climate change today. Can we live with climate change tomorrow? With the latest IPCC report it is clear we must push for an ambitious 1.5 degree threshold. But this alone is not enough, we must try something new.
We cannot afford to make the same mistakes twice. Why would we then make a New Market Mechanism based on the CDM? Without new ambitious, binding commitments the markets will only fail again. Why would we trust the future of our climate to those individuals and forces who caused the 2008 World Wide financial meltdown? Market volatility has the power to bring nations to their knees, as many countries in this very room have experienced, why then, would we trust markets to save the climate?.
We believe there must be stronger emphasis on the Non Market Approaches, especially newer and innovative mechanisms, such as the Joint Mitigation and Adaptation Mechanism, as proposed by the Bolivian delegation.
We have to keep the market out of agriculture as well. Food is different! It is essential for life, and a human right. We are against the proposed “climate smart agriculture” since it means commodifying and selling the carbon in farmer’s soil. Rather, a work program on agriculture should fall under the Nairobi Work Program.
We can’t rely on markets as a false solution, especially when we need real change so urgently. We urge the delegates here to have the courage to move beyond market models and give the world what it needs.
Thank you.
Go Tag, go youth!