On 10 January 2026, UNU-IAS hosted a debriefing session featuring participants who attended the 2025 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP30) in Belém, Brazil. From the United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability Operating Unit Ishikawa/Kanazawa (UNU-IAS OUIK), 2 high school students who took part in a youth programme organized by OUIK and Ms. Yoko Tomita (Programme Coordinator) took part in the event and shared their experiences at COP30.
In her opening remarks, Shinobu Yume Yamaguchi (Director, UNU-IAS) mentioned the Global Youth MIDORI Platform (GYM) jointly implemented by UNU-IAS and the AEON Environmental Foundation, and youth empowerment programme implemented by OUIK. She emphasized that these programmes aim to foster capacity building to support meaningful participation of youth.
Next, Shunta Igusa (Climate Youth Japan; CYJ), Jianxin Peng (The University of Tokyo Green Transformation Student Network; GXSN), Haruna Sakai (The University of Osaka; GYM 2025 participant) provided an overview of COP30 and the result of the negotiations, a report on activities, and the importance of youth participation and continued action.
Miyu Hira (Kanazawa Nishikigaoka High School; UNU-IAS OUIK programme participant) shared the insights from OUIK programme that led to her participation in the COP. She noted that COP30 was a space for open exchange across different standpoints and that she came to appreciate the importance of cultural understanding. She added that she hopes to apply these lessons to her activities both in and outside school.
The first panel discussion, “COP Experience and Challenge”, was moderated by Ayaka Ishizaki (Sophia University, Green Sophia). Mizuki Endo (The University of Tokyo GXSN), Ryo Kitagawa (CYJ), Yuki Wada (CYJ) and Aoi Tachibana (Kanazawa University Senior High School; UNU-IAS OUIK programme participant) discussed the theme of how to apply the experience gained at COP30 to the next action. Ms. Tachibana highlighted the dilemma of participation in the COP, noting that it is difficult to find a 100% correct answer that everyone is satisfied with, as priorities vary across countries and positions. She also emphasized the importance of education that fosters environmental awareness among young people and intergenerational exchanges to address the complexities.
In the second panel discussion, “Meaningful Youth Participation and Career Development,” moderated by Miki Fukuda (Chief Policy Researcher, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies; IGES). Ms. Sakai, Haruno Tadokoro (CYJ), Sunwoo Kang (Global Environment Outreach Centre; GEOC) and Ms. Tomita discussed the role of the youth empowerment programme and the impact of international experience on future career and career development. Ms. Tomita highlighted the importance of incorporating critical thinking and structural understanding when developing the youth empowerment program in Ishikawa. Additionally, she encouraged youth to keep broadening their perspectives on future careers, even if they settle on careers unrelated to climate change.
In closing remarks, Yuan Yoshinaga (AEON Environmental Foundation) stated that she was pleased to know that the youth had a fruitful experience at COP through their presentation and encouraged their next activities.
Concluding the session, Tshilidzi Marwala (Rector, UNU) thanked the participants and emphasized that UNU will continue to foster meaningful youth participation.
This event was organized by UNU-IAS and co-organized by the AEON Environmental Foundation, in cooperation with Climate Youth Japan (CYJ), University of Tokyo Green Transformation Student Network (GXSN), Global Environment Outreach Centre (GEOC) and Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES).
