LCOY 2023

The 2023 Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) USA was on unceded Nacotchtank (or Anacostans), Piscataway, and Pamunkey peoples’ native land, now known as Washington, D.C.. The conference was hosted at American University from the 20th to 22nd of October, 2023.

With representation from over 35 US states and Territories, the conference welcomed over 150 youth delegates both virtually and in-person. The delegates included members of the LGBTQIA+, Native American, BIPOC, Latine, Middle Eastern, Disability, AAPI, and African American communities. 

Delegate discussions covered themes of Domestic Climate Action, International Mitigation, Adaptation, Just Transition Policy, and Youth Inclusion Practices. Through these discussions, delegates shared their unique perspectives and community contexts to co-create a shared knowledge of the critical climate issues communities across the United States face.

Commit to a national equitable phase-out of all fossil fuels, an end to new fossil fuel projects, and a transition of subsidies from fossil fuels to climate resilience and climate action efforts (regardless of COP28 outcome);  Commit to including young people in consultations and research groups in the development of the 2025 NDC.

To urge parties, especially those in the Global North and in oil-wealthy countries blocking progress, to commit to an equitable fossil fuel phase out by 2050 and peak emissions by 2025, as per the IPCC 6th Assessment Report, as part of the COP28 Decision.

To address the climate refugee crisis, starting with establishing a mandated dialogue on climate refugees at SB60, further calling upon the UNFCCC, in partnership with the Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Climate Change, to create a report from the dialogue with recommendations on next steps.

To adopt a Just Transition Action Plan and annual Dialogues to enable consistency and rights-based approaches for action.

Establish a National US Youth Office, complementary to the Global Youth Issues Office, where young people serve as inter-agency liaisons in climate decision-making and implementation process in Congress, EPA, NOAA, Office of Global Change, and the White House.