LCOY 2022

LCOY USA 2022 In Review

  • Where

    The Local Conference of Youth United States of America 2022 (LCOY U.S.A.) was held in taken Lenni Lenape Native Land, now known as Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The event was hosted at Drexel University and The Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University from the 23rd to 25th of September, 2022.

  • Who

    The Conference welcomed over 130 delegates both virtually and in-person, with an average age of 21 to 22 years old. The delegate group was composed of young people from 24 States, and included members of the LGBTQIA+, Native American, BIPOC, Latine, Middle Eastern, Disability, AAPI, and African American communities.

  • What

    Five themes, those of Action for Climate Empowerment, Climate Adaptation, Climate Justice, Food Systems and Agriculture, and Health and Climate Change were discussed by delegates. Delegates also conducted supplementary events and dialogues to discuss critical issues faced by their communities and presented their work, allowing the facilitation of knowledge sharing.

LCOY USA 2022 National Youth Statement Overarching Demands

Our Demands

  • Constituency

    1. Formalize accessible, representative, and democratic offices for youth engagement and inclusion, with an emphasis on people from Frontline Communities such as those from BIPOC or Global South communities in the decision making at every level of government and in consultation processes of all different agencies, by creating a U.S. Youth Constituency to maintain consistent, representative, and inclusive communication and involvement in governmental affairs and decision-making spaces, at the federal, state, local, and territorial levels.

  • Urgency

    2. The Biden-Harris Administration must declare a National Climate Emergency, which would allow the President to utilize his power to its fullest extent to create a pathway towards a Just Transition and climate adaptation plans that serve all U.S. residents, especially those in Frontline Communities.

  • Consent

    3. Local, state, and federal governments must institutionalize Free, Prior, and informed Consent (FPIC) of BIPOC and Frontline Communities (including youth) in decision making surrounding all current and future government climate mitigation, adaptation, and reparation plans.

  • National Commitment

    4. The Biden-Harris Administration must lead by example and with ambition at the international level, with robust Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) set to mitigate warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, National Adaptation Plans (NAP), leadership in the contribution to the Global Goal on Adaptation (GGA), and the implementation of initiatives for climate reparations for the Global South.

  • Follow Through

    5. The Biden-Harris Administration must go beyond its announcement to pledge contributions to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) to support nature based solutions and Climate Justice in developing countries and confirm $2 billion in contributions to the GCF.

  • Formalize

    6. The Biden-Harris Administration and Special Presidential Envoy on Climate John Kerry must issue a formal statement in support of Loss and Damage, and the U.S. Delegation to COP27 must negotiate accordingly to enact binding and equitable Loss and Damage-based actions.