Young climate leaders, researchers, policymakers and representatives of international organisations gathered at Middle East Technical University (METU) on 14 September for the “COPilot the Future: Youth Summit in the Lead-up to COP31”, organised in collaboration with the METU, the COP31 Presidency and the United Nations in Türkiye.
Held less than two months before COP31 in Antalya, the Youth Summit created a space for young people to put their priorities directly on the table. The focus was not only on participation, but on how youth can actively contribute to climate action and implementation, and how their perspectives can feed into the COP31 process.
“Young people need to co-pilot the future”
The event opened with a strong call for meaningful youth participation in climate decision-making. In his opening remarks, METU Vice-Rector Prof. Ender Ciğeroğlu emphasised that institutions should not speak on behalf of young people, but should create the platforms through which they can speak for themselves and contribute to decision-making.
This call for meaningful participation was echoed throughout the opening session. For Betül Bitir Soylu, PhD researcher and Climate Envoy at METU, the discussion around COP31 also needs to look beyond technical solutions.
“COP31 is about more than just identifying technical solutions. It is about the core values the United Nations builds upon: peace, equality, and human rights.”
As the COP31 Presidency Youth Climate Champion, Sally Higgins described COP31 as an opportunity to recognise young people as partners in delivering climate action at scale, highlighting the need to involve young people in implementation from the outset. The same idea was reflected in the words of Dr. Kilaparti Ramakrishna, who described young people not as passive recipients of climate decisions, but as people who will help put those decisions into practice.
“Young people are not passive beneficiaries of climate decisions made today; they are the critical co-pilots executing action on the ground.”
With this emphasis on partnership, the Youth Summit moved from the question of representation to the practical challenge of creating channels for youth participation. As Özlem Aksoy put it, “We brought the bridge and channels today.” For the United Nations in Türkiye, that bridge also means creating space for young people to speak in their own voice. Dr. Babatunde Ahonsi, UN Türkiye Resident Coordinator, captured this approach clearly:
“Tomorrow starts now. We do not join youth to speak for them; we join to ensure their voices are heard loud and clear.”
A key part of the Summit focused on the Water-Energy-Food-Ecosystems (WEFE) Nexus, key areas where climate impacts are deeply interconnected. Moderated by Prof. Dr. Barış Salihoğlu, Director of the METU Institute of Marine Sciences and METU Climate Center, the panel brought together experts from METU, GÜNAM, UNICEF and the World Food Programme. Discussions highlighted technological advances such as agrivoltaic systems and explored integrated approaches to strengthen resilience against interconnected climate risks.
The Summit also featured an Interactive Dialogue on Youth Access and Action at COP31, providing participants with an opportunity to share their experiences, priorities and expectations. Participants joining both in person and online contributed through digital participation tools, allowing their input to be collected as part of the Summit’s outcomes.
The Summit closed with the presentation of the Youth Communiqué, prepared with contributions from youth delegates including Sally Higgins (COP31 Presidency Youth Climate Champion), Özlem Deniz Peri (METU Climate Envoy), and Antoni Soalablai (Pacific Islands Delegate). The Communiqué sets out priorities for COP31, including faster climate implementation, stronger institutional inclusion of early-career scientists in government delegations, and greater support for cross-border research funding.
As Türkiye prepares to host COP31 in Antalya, the event reflected the ongoing efforts to bring climate science, policy and youth engagement closer together, while creating channels through which young voices can contribute to climate action.
Watch the full event recordings
