WYCJ at ChangeNOW 2025
In April 2025, WYCJ was once again able to join over 40,000 changemakers at the Grand Palais in Paris to attend the 4th edition of the ChangeNOW conference – the biggest conference on solutions for the planet worldwide! For 3 days, people from all over the world came together to discuss topics from climate change, biodiversity loss, and ocean protection to impact investing, the future of international climate governance, and changemaking. This year's summit marked 10 years since the adoption of the Paris Agreement and served as a great meeting point towards COP30 and the UN Ocean Conference, bringing together youth activists, changemakers, policymakers, and innovators from around the world.
Elevating Climate Justice
A major highlight for WYCJ was the recognition of the campaign for the advisory opinion at the International Court of Justice (ICJAO) on climate change. Prominent figures like Agnès Callamard (Secretary General for Amnesty International) and Jojo Metha (co-founder of Stop Ecocide) referenced the ICJAO during their time on stage, underscoring the significance of climate litigation and youth-driven action in the international climate justice movement.
Youth Leadership on Stage
WYCJ’s Outreach and Engagement Coordinator, Samira Ben Ali, took the stage on three impactful panels:
African Youth Inclusion in Climate Policies, organised by Ubuntuness during Africa Day, highlighting the importance of integrating African youth perspectives in climate decision-making.
Protection of Environmental Defenders, hosted by the Millennials Movement, focusing on safeguarding those at the frontline of environmental activism.
Youth and Multilateralism, in collaboration with the Youth Negotiators Academy, discussing the role of young people in shaping international climate policies.
Overall, it was amazing to see so many young women leading in the climate space, like Clover Hogan, speak on the impacts of corporate lobbying or Xiye Bastide speaking on recognition of youth and female leadership in the international climate movement.
Building Alliances
ChangeNOW provided a unique opportunity for WYCJ to connect with fellow youth activists, as mentioned above, like Clover Hogan from Force of Nature, Melati Wijsen from Youthtopia, Xiye Bastida from Re-earth initiative, Inés Yabar, Tory Tsui from the Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty and Marie-Claire Graf. We were also fortunate enough to engage with highly experienced changemakers and role models like Mary Robinson, the first female president of Ireland, Jojo Metha from StopEcocide, Adam Weiss from ClientEarth, and Sandrine Dixon from Earth4All. Holding enriched dialogues between generations and fostering collaborations between organisations sharing similar objectives shaped the conference overall and left us engaged and motivated in the work we do. Our shared voices are crucial for amplifying climate action and to spread the word about the AO!
Looking Ahead
Our participation at ChangeNOW aimed to forge connections with stakeholders to discuss implementation pathways for the ICJAO and explore how young people can shape future climate policies. We further looked forward to engaging with representatives from the UNFCCC process, emphasising youth involvement in international climate governance. Thus, we are eager to now take the work forward and let action follow from our discussion in the lead up to the delivery of the ICJAO. We hope to continue empowering youth voices in the global climate justice movement and to facilitate joined action on climate justice!
Thank you!
Lastly, we want to extend our gratitude and thank the Dutch delegation, Gemeente Den Haag and ImpactCity, as well as Sisters in Climate, for providing us with the opportunity to attend ChangeNOW. It is the collaborations with NGOs and climate organisations whose support is invaluable in our collective pursuit of a climate just future!