Youth vow to take urgent action on climate change

Youth around the world vowed on Friday for practical measures to tackle climate change, realize the goal of carbon neutrality and protect biodiversity. They also called on all related parties to participate in making changes.

At the 2021 Sino-American Youth Dialogue hosted by China's Tsinghua University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the United States, students from both China and the US announced an initiative aimed at responding to climate change and biodiversity protection under carbon neutrality goals.

The younger generation "are obligated to promote global governance in climate change and build a community of life for man and nature", according to a joint statement drafted by the students.

"As the backbone of building a zero-carbon future, we, the youth, will proactively promote international cooperation and mobilize all forces" and take urgent action to achieve green, low-carbon and sustainable development goals, it read.

The event was initiated to advance the world's climate change governance from the perspectives of the youth from China and the US. Many students from universities in Australia and Malaysia also participated in the dialogue.

Qiu Yong, president of Tsinghua University, said the youth of China and the US are crucial in establishing a more reasonable climate governance system and achieving the goal of sustainable development.

"By engaging in this dialogue, we will be able to discover new insights, build mutual trust and come together in the face of challenges set by climate change," Qiu said.

Rafael Reif, president of the MIT, said the US and China "have a shared responsibility" to enhance international cooperation to find answers for many interconnected threats.

Dealing with climate change and mitigating natural disaster risks have become serious issues for all countries which require collective efforts of the global community, he said.

"To do this, we must develop areas of common interest and mutual benefit for our two countries," he said.

Shao Yangbin, a PhD student from Tsinghua University, discussed achieving carbon neutrality through the improvement of new energy vehicle technology and provided several suggestions based on his research.

Kieren Rudge, a student from Yale University, cited the US Virgin Islands as an example and said the Caribbean is "facing major threats due to climate change that will continue to cause environmental, economic and social damage". The student also provided insights for decision-makers to craft strategies.

liuxuan@chinadaily.com.cn