Latin American & Caribbean Youth Adaptation Forum

The Latin American & Caribbean Youth Adaptation Forum is aimed at ensuring youth voices from the region are present, heard and considered in the adaptation agenda, including in the review of the Global Goal on Adaptation.

Event description:

Young people in Latin America and the Caribbean are agents of change for a climate-resilient future. To allow young people to fully participate in society, it is fundamental to broaden economic opportunities for youth. Inclusive growth can be strengthened by entrepreneurial skills development and the creation of adaptation jobs.

GCA and its Youth Advisory Panel organized seven Regional Youth Adaptation Forums across the world. The Latin American and Caribbean Youth Adaptation Forum is the concluding event of worldwide consultations that collect youth perspectives on the international adaptation agenda, including in the review of the Global Goal on Adaptation. Recommendations by young people will be presented to decision-makers at global forums including the Africa Adaptation Summit and at the COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh through partnerships with youth climate networks at the regional and international level. In addition, GCA and its Youth Advisory Panel will launch a publication at Pre-COP27 showcasing youth-led adaptation case studies and the key messages and recommendations collected during the Regional Youth Adaptation Forums regarding the achievement of the Global Goal on Adaptation.

The Latin American & Caribbean Youth Adaptation Forum aimed to: 

• Identify youth priorities and recommendations regarding the achievement and implementation of the Global Goal on Adaptation
• Elevate youth voices across the globe through GCA’s platform allowing young people, especially those from marginalized and vulnerable communities, to shape the international adaptation agenda
• Showcase youth-led climate-resilient solutions to accelerate adaptation action

Format of the Forum
The Forum took place in a hybrid format. The in person event will took place at the Universidad de Costa Rica, in San Jose, Costa Rica.

Program

09:00 – 09:50
Inspirational remarks

• Cheymi Gallardo, Cabecar Talamanca Indigenous Territory representative, RIBCA Youth Group Coordinator and Sá Jú Tsa Tkö Coordinator

High-Level Opening Ceremony

Welcoming remarks

• Mr. Pascal Girot, Director of the School of Geography, University of Costa Rica

Opening statement

• H.E. Christine Pirenne, Ambassador of the Netherlands in Costa Rica

Keynote Speeches

‘Costa Rica’s leadership on climate solutions’

• Mr. Iván Delgado, Director of Climate Change, Ministry of Environment and Energy, Costa Rica

‘The urgent need for adaptation acceleration’

• Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO Global Center on Adaptation

09:50 – 10:00
Family photo

10:00 – 10:10
Musical Presentation

Violinist Mr. Francisco Hernández Sibaja

10:10 – 10:50
Coffee break

10:50 – 11:20
Laying the foundation for adaptation acceleration

‘The meaning of climate change adaptation’

• ‘Climate impacts in Latin America’, Ms. Irene Rodríguez Arce, Member of the Costa Rican Youth and Climate Change Network, Costa Rica
• ‘Costa Rica’s adaptation strategies’, Mr. Iván Delgado, Director of Climate Change, Ministry of the Environment and Energy

11:20 – 12:20
Intergenerational Dialogue on the Role of Youth in Adapting the World to the Impacts of Climate Change

Video Message: ‘Youth Shaping the Global Goal on Adaptation’

• Mr. Youssef Nassef, Director Adaptation UNFCCC

Panelists:

• Prof. Dr. Patrick Verkooijen, CEO, Global Center on Adaptation
• Ms. Marissa Navarro, Associate Costa Rican Youth and Climate Change Network, Costa Rica
• Ms. Joyce Mendez, GCA Youth Advisory Panel and Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean of the SDG7 Youth Constituency, Brazil
• Mayte Molina, Youth representative Nicaragua
• Ms. Priscila González, Indigenous youth representative, Indigenous Boruca Territory, Costa Rica
• Ms. Patricia Portela de Souza, Representative of UNICEF Costa Rica

12:20 – 13:30
Lunch

13:30 – 14:30
Showcasing Youth-Led Adaptation Solutions

• Video Message: ‘Youth Entrepreneurship for Adaptation Solutions’ YouthADAPT Winner 2021

‘Adaptation Solutions Pitches’

Seven young leaders from Latin American and the Caribbean region are invited to present youth-led adaptation challenges and solutions

Video message ‘Youth solutions for climate adaptation’

• River Fa Si Oen, Youth Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Curacao

Speakers

• Ms. Mayte Molina, Focal point emergency response Good Neighbors, Nicaragua
• Ms. Judith Barrera, Member of the movement Green Political Rebellion, El Salvador
• Mr. Abdiel Douglas, Climate Change Analyst at the Ministry of Environment and Youth Movements Panamá
• Ms. Camila Herrera, Coordinadora Grupo Juvenil Reverde5, Reserva Biológica Bosque Nuboso Monteverde, Costa Rica
• Ms. Joyce Mendez, Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean of the SDG7 Youth Constituency, Brazil
• Mr. José Villatoro, Founder Voices for the Planet, Guatemala
• Ms. María José Araya, Coordinator Center for Sustainable Water in the Atlantic (CESAGUA), Costa Rica

14:30 – 15:30
Designing a climate-resilient Latin America and the Caribbean post-2030
 
‘Adaptation and resilience: Vision from the Climate Vulnerable Forum’

• Mr. Matthew McKinnon, Head of Program, Climate Vulnerable Forum
• Ms. Sara Jane Ahmed, V20 Finance Advisor and Workstream Coordinator

Imagining a climate-resilient Latin America and the Caribbean post-2030

• Ms. Raquel Sagot, Associate Costa Rican Youth and Climate Change Network, Costa Rica

15:30 – 16:00
Closing Ceremony

Video message ‘Harnessing Youth Leadership on the Road to Sharm El-Sheikh’

• Mr. Amr Essam, Representative COP27 Presidency

Closing Remarks

• Ms. Natalia Gómez, Founder and Director of the Costa Rican Youth and Climate Change Network, Costa Rica
• Ms. Joyce Mendez, Regional Focal Point for Latin America and the Caribbean of the SDG7 Youth Constituency, Brazil
• M.Sc. María Laura Arias, Deputy Dean of Research, University of Costa Rica
• Mr. Javier Díaz, Senior Fellow for Latin America and the Caribbean GCA-CVF

Partners