Kaddijatou Ceesay, Coordinator of L-COY Gambia, has told world leaders that children and young people are the “voice of the future” whose fate is being shaped by decisions at the COP30 climate summit in Belem, Brazil.

Speaking on behalf of the Children and Youth Constituency at the UN climate conference, Ceesay delivered a strong message calling for urgent climate justice, a global ceasefire, and an end to armed conflicts.

“These negotiations aren’t just about today’s politics. They are about your legacy and our future,” she said. “It is about the air, the forests, oceans, food, and clean water from the Congo Basin to the Amazon Rainforest.”

Ceesay urged a full and fair phase-out of fossil fuels, alongside climate reparations for vulnerable nations. She called for a stronger adaptation package that includes youth-focused indicators and a major increase in adaptation finance through grants for developing countries.

She also pressed for a Just Transition Package rooted in labour rights, human rights, intergenerational equity, and the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibilities.

Ceesay called for nature-based solutions to be fully integrated into national climate plans and criticised the heavy presence of fossil fuel lobbyists at COP events. She urged the UNFCCC to adopt a Conflict of Interest policy to protect the integrity of climate negotiations.

She stressed that science must guide decisions, saying carbon budgets and adaptation limits should be clearly reflected in negotiation texts.

Ceesay further encouraged governments to join the NDC Youth Clause Coalition to strengthen intergenerational cooperation on climate action.

Concluding her address, she called for an immediate global ceasefire, insisting that civilians, especially children and vulnerable communities, must be protected.

“There can be no peace without justice, and there can be no climate justice without human rights,” she said.

By Sheikh Alkinky Sanyang, Belem, Brazil