Foreign officials and Kazakhstani students held debates on climate change ahead of COP26 conference
The event aims at raising awareness on climate change, add the issue to the public agenda, and inspire and awaken the youth to search for solutions to the environmental issues.
The debates held ahead of the COP26 conference brought together nearly 100 students of the Narikbayev Humanitarian Law University of Kazakhstan, Eurasian University, and Nazarbayev University.
During the event, young delegates presented their practical recommendations on the three thematic areas: climate change, biodiversity preservation, and waste management.
«We call on all countries to improve national contributions and internal policy as often as necessary and without delay so as to get on the right path. It is important that countries come together once again to restore trust, update the action, and revive the spirit of the Paris Agreement,» said Ms. Michaela Friberg-Storey, UN Resident Coordinator for Kazakhstan, calling for more ambitious goals, especially from the youth.
She expressed her gratefulness that President Tokayev stated the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 and the way how to achieve it in the Strategy of Low Carbon Development. She expressed her hope that Prime Minister Askar Mamin will lead the Kazakh delegation at the COP26 in Glasgow and demonstrate Kazakhstan’s leadership in the climate field.
In his turn, Sergey Pen, rector of the Narikbayev Humanitarian Law University of Kazakhstan, noted that it is quite important to hear and take seriously the voice of the youth during any discussion on climate change and the environment.