Ola Elvestuen and youth delegate gave joint climate statement

The statement in full:

We came here with a clear purpose and a sense of urgency. Hurricanes, wild fires, drought and floods put millions at risk. Therefore - we stand together with all children and youth in their call for ambition.

Norway will step up ambition in its nationally determined contribution in 2020. 80 countries have said they will do the same. This shows a clear will to deliver on the Paris Agreement.

While we have struggled in the formal negotiations leaving key issues unsolved, this COP has displayed a strong notion of action. By countries, organizations, businesses  and stakeholders. We have seen that solutions for low emission pathways are available. And we know that ambition foster innovation, job opportunities and green economic growth. I am hopeful that this combined will give all countries the necessary confidence to step up its nationally determined contributions in 2020.

In the final hours we have also showed the world that we are able to come together on important issues in the spirit of our common concern for our planet and its people.

Climate change is happening now. The poorest and  most vulnerable among us are already experiencing that climate change impacts puts decades of development gains at risk. This is a concern to us all. Scaling up support to developing countries, particularly the poorest and most vulnerable to manage risks and impacts from a changing climate is therefore an integral part of climate ambition. I am honoured to have been able to work with Minister Simon Stiell from Grenada on facilitating the ministerial consultations on the review of the Warsaw International Mechanism and I am very happy that we managed to reach an agreement on this issue. We must leave no one behind.

All decisions we make today will have consequences for our future ability to prosper. We must therefore stand united with our children and youth to take the necessary decisions to create pathways to a low emission future.

I now give the word to Sofie Nordvik, our youth delegate:

We lack the ambition needed to avoid this climate emergency. We are far from where we need to reach our international commitments of stopping global warming at 1,5 degrees. Now is the time for all countries to provide real action. World leaders need to step up. Our Nationally Determined contributions must be in line with the IPCC-reports. Only then will we have a chance to save our future and avoid more human suffering. Our future also depend on more support and finance to poor and vulnerable countries and communities who will suffer the biggest consequences of climate change. It is not a choice, but our duty to take action.

The world would have looked different if young people were in charge today. We don’t have the time to wait for us to be the ones that takes the final decisions. Youth are finished being an inspiration – use our solutions. Take the right decisions for our future and for all the people suffering the consequences of climate change today.

Don’t let us down.