COP29: Empowering youth for a digital climate revolution

COP29’s Green Zone continues to host events alongside the main Blue Zone programme, running until November 22. On November 16, a joint panel session was held by the COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company and CISCO.

The panel session, titled “Empowering Youth for a Digital Climate Revolution”, focused on digital solutions for climate action, highlighting the crucial role of young people as drivers of innovation and change.

Participants included Kęstutis Kupšys, member of the EESC; Leyla Hasanova, Youth Climate Champion for COP29; Mary de Wysocki, Chief Sustainability Officer at Cisco; Fidan Javadova, a cleantech entrepreneur; and Doreen Michael, Conservationist & WAFF Youth Delegate.

The discussion highlighted how digital technologies are revolutionizing climate action, with young people emerging as key players in leveraging digital tools to advocate for sustainability, monitor environmental impacts, and scale climate initiatives. The event showcased cutting-edge digital platforms, applications, and AI-powered solutions enabling real-time youth engagement in climate action.

Throughout the day, the Green Zone also featured a variety of activities. These covered a range of topics including progress on decarbonization commitments, the role of corporations in ensuring sustainability, leveraging green fintech and climate technology to close the climate finance gap, and achieving financial inclusion through digital technologies. Simultaneously, the dynamic Extreme Hangout zone, designed for children and young people, offered dance, yoga, and creative workshops.

The above article is republished from the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), of the UNFCCC website