Concern’s Climate Youth Ambassador bringing messages from Irish people to COP27

The 20-year-old from Bray, Co. Wicklow will travel with a small team representing the Irish humanitarian organisation to the climate conference in Egypt.

“More action is needed from world leaders and I want to make sure young Irish voices are heard at COP27,” said Jenny, who is a third-year law student at Trinity College Dublin.

“Climate change is happening right now and increasing levels of hunger and poverty in parts of the world that have polluted the least.

“There is an urgent need to help those suffering from the effects of climate change in places like Pakistan where 33 million people were affected by recent floods and in the Horn of Africa where there are famine-like conditions after two years of failed rains.

“I am not a climate expert, but I know the stark future we face if nothing is done to reduce the speed of climate change.”

The messages Jenny will bring to COP27 include a call for governments to better support local climate action efforts and to create and meet local carbon reduction targets that are specific to neighbourhoods, towns and cities.

“Tidy towns has been a huge success in Ireland and we think this climate towns approach could have enormous benefits across the world,” said Jenny.

“Locally-focussed targets could dramatically help reduce climate change, especially if we are competing with other neighbourhoods, and also it would hopefully reduce air pollution and improve local biodiversity.”

Concern’s Advocacy Manager Sally Tyldesley, who will be with Jenny at COP27, added: “The progress made at COP26 was worlds away from what was needed, so we go to COP27 with greater determination to make sure politicians live up to their responsibilities to some of the world’s poorest people who are bearing the brunt of climate change.

“At Concern, we are clear that the way that we respond to climate change needs to be in line with the principles of equity and climate justice.

“High-income countries owe a moral and ecological debt to developing countries for the damage they have done to the environment. This debt includes financial responsibilities.

“Those countries most responsible for climate change are also most able to cover the costs of dealing with the impacts.

“High-income countries – like those in the EU, Ireland, UK and US – must provide the means of implementation to allow poorer countries to prepare for increasing climate impacts and to follow a clean, climate-friendly development pathway.

“Developed countries have committed to providing and mobilising $100 billion of climate finance each year between 2020 and 2025. However, this target has not been met.”

Many of the messages Jenny Salmon will bring to COP27 were compiled by young people Concern met around the country and also by members of the public at a climate-focussed music and cultural festival called Cop On that took place in Dublin last month

ENDS

For more information or interview requests, please contact Kevin Jenkinson at [email protected] or on 086 358 2886.