17.05.2024

Photo story: A Bangladeshi young climate activist attending COP28

Climate change
News | Created by FES Asia Editorial
 

Youth voices matter in climate action. Sohanur Rahman, a young climate activist from YouthNet for Climate Justice in Bangladesh, shares his experience attending climate conversation with global community at the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), hosted in Dubai.

By Sohanur Rahman, Executive Coordinator, YouthNet for Climate Justice

As a member of the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung delegation, I had the honour of attending the 28th Conference of the Parties (COP28) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) hosted in Dubai last November. Here are some photos that capture the experience. 

 

Young people, often excluded, can play a crucial role in bridging gaps, especially in the aftermath of climate disasters in Bangladesh. Sohanur Rahman, as a speaker at COP28 Dubai, shares stories of Bangladesh building community resilience through local leadership, highlighting the power of youth voices in climate action. | Photo: YouthNet
Young climate activist Sohanur Rahman attends a dinner meeting with Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands and Prime Minister GilmarPisas of Curaçao at COP28 in Dubai. Rutte's call to empower young voices at the negotiation table resonates with the commitment to inclusivity showcased at the event. | Photo: We are Tomorrow Partnership
Bangladesh leads in many aspects of climate adaptation, but insufficient funding puts its people at risk. Vulnerable communities urgently need more support. The Adaptation Gap report 2023 reveals the staggering reality: countries like Bangladesh face needs 10-18 times larger than current international support. At COP28, pledges fall fell short the adaptation finance gap for developing nations, with only $188 million committed to climate adaptation efforts amidst a staggering annual need of $194-366 billion per year. Young climate activist Sohanur Rahman passionately urges for financing locally led adaptation. | Photo: YouthNet
Bangladeshi Climate Activist Sohanur Rahman leads chants of "Where's the money?" at COP28 in Dubai, rallying for urgent funding to fuel the global energy transition. With COP28 pledged to triple the world’s installed renewable energy generation capacity to 11,000 GW by 2030, there’s a resolute commitment to a just energy transition and environmental sustainability. | Photo: Reuters
Sohanur Rahman joins a protest at COP28. The 1.5°C limit is not just a target, but a survival issue. The new Loss and Damage Fund remains inadequate and other COP28 outcomes are vague.The call for immediate emission cuts, binding commitments, and justice for the most affected remains imperative. | Photo: YouthNet
Young climate activists Sohanur Rahman and Aruba Faruque of YouthNet join forces with global allies at COP28 Dubai, standing united with Fridays for Future Germany to demand urgent climate action, divest from fossil fuels, and boost climate finance. | Photo: YouthNet
With German parliamentarians, Sohanur shared the Y-Just project, led by YouthNet and supported by Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung. The project aims to create a sustainable and fair future in Bangladesh, focusing on environmental sustainability, social justice, and youth engagement in climate decisions. Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung's support enables YouthNet to amplify youth voices for climate action, including at events like COP28. | Photo: YouthNet
Sohanur Rahman's engagement in side events at COP28 amplifies the voices often overlooked in the climate conversation. From advocating for child rights to promoting inclusion of persons with disabilities and meaningful youth engagement in water governance and nutrition, the mission is to infuse urgency and accountability into climate action. | Photo: YouthNet

Sohanur Rahman (28) is a passionate climate justice advocate from Bangladesh, coordinating the nation's largest youth network for climate justice, YouthNet. A founding member of Bangladesh's Fridays for Future chapter, heis one of the key figures in the country's climate activism. Sohanur founded YouthNet for Climate Justice in 2016, which is now active in 50 districts, focusing on community outreach, government collaboration, and youth empowerment. He was a member of the Bangladesh delegation at 27, served on the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network, and received awards for his contributions to climate action and women's empowerment. As a member of MenEngage Alliance and the SUN Civil Society Network, and an alumnus of the Women Deliver's young leader programme, Sohanur mobilizes youth for climate justice and nutrition advocacy.

The views expressed in this article are not necessarily those of FES.

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