Last week, young leaders, innovators and advocates from around the world gathered at the United Nations Headquarters in New York for the 2026 Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Youth Forum, to advance innovative solutions to accelerate progress on the Sustainable Development Goals. Also in attendance were Lawson Scholars Miriam Castillo Orozco and Vera Allue – who were invited to New York City to participate in the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) ECOSOC Youth Forum side event, Youth Advancing Climate Justice as part of a collaboration between UNDP and Lawson Climate Institute.
The Forum provided a platform for young people to engage in a dialogue with Member States and other actors to voice their views, concerns, and galvanize actions on how to transform the world into a fairer, greener, and more sustainable place guided by the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Youth leaders from around the world engaged with government representatives, other youth delegates, policymakers, and stakeholders from civil society and the private sector to advance youth priorities and interests. The dialogue also supported engagement with the launch of UNDP’s new publication, Climate Justice: A Youth Guide to Legal Responsibility, Policy Action and Accountability.
Miriam took part in the intergenerational dialogue, reflecting on Indigenous youth rights and priorities in the context of climate justice:
“In the margins of the ECOSOC Youth Forum, I had the honor of representing the UofT’s Lawson Climate Institute at the side event Youth Advancing Climate Justice at the United Nations Headquarters in NYC, organized by the United Nations Development Program. In this event, with party representatives from Australia, Italy, and Canada, and youth involved in climate justice from all around the world, we had the opportunity to witness the launch of the UNDP Climate Justice Guide titled “Climate Justice: A Youth Guide to Legal Responsibility, Policy Action, and Accountability”. Later, I participated in the intergenerational dialogue Youth-led Climate Justice and practice, where I spoke about how Indigenous Youth are shaping climate actions in ways often overlooked in international policy spaces, and how institutions could better support Indigenous Youth leadership and ensure their perspectives inform climate solutions. I was able to close this dialogue by highlighting the importance of preserving intergenerational climate knowledge transfer, a common Indigenous methodology that could benefit everyone on our planet. This event concluded with a fruitful networking session, during which I spoke with several young professionals in climate change action and party members from the states mentioned. I am always very grateful to the UNDP team for their kindness and support, and this time, extremely honored by the trust placed in me by the UofT’s Lawson Climate Institute to attend an international event on their behalf as their scholar.”
Vera opened the audience Q&A as a youth respondent, sharing reflections on what resonated most with young people and introducing one or two guiding questions to support the broader discussion:
“During the ECOSOC Youth Forum in New York City, I was proud to represent the Lawson Climate Institute at the event Youth Advancing Climate Justice, hosted by the United Nations Development Programme. There, I had the opportunity to engage in discussions addressing climate action from multidisciplinary perspectives in a panel composed of climate authorities, conservation experts, students, and researchers. The theme that resonated with me most was the democratization of climate information to ensure it is understood and used across diverse communities. I led the transition between the panel and the audience Q&A, where I reflected on the challenges youth face when navigating climate spaces and offered a call to action for individuals in the room to take responsibility for making climate information more accessible. Hearing diverse views throughout the event provided me with valuable insights that will strengthen the research I am conducting with the support of the Lawson Climate Institute. In particular, my work explores alternative climate pedagogies in post-secondary institutions, using the University of Toronto as a case study. My experience in NYC reinforced my belief in the need for more inclusive, participatory, and action-oriented learning models where students are active contributors rather than passive recipients of knowledge. I am deeply grateful for the trust to represent the Lawson Climate Institute, and for the chance to build meaningful connections with climate actors who share a vision of rethinking how climate education and communication can drive a more equitable future.”
As the world confronts increasingly complex and interconnected crises – from climate change and growing inequalities to economic and technological transformations – the leadership and voices of young people have never been more vital. The Lawson Climate Institute looks forward to future opportunities to amplify youth leadership in climate action.