Emilie Baliozian, a recent graduate of Columbia University’s Undergraduate Program in Sustainable Development, was recently accepted to attend the first-ever UN Youth Climate Summit in New York City. The historic event on Saturday, September 21 will provide a platform for young leaders who are driving climate action to showcase their solutions at the United Nations, and to meaningfully engage with decision makers on the defining issue of our time. It will be the largest gathering of young climate leaders at the UN in history.
Over 7,000 young people between the ages of 18 and 29 applied to attend the Youth Climate Summit. Baliozian was one of 500 hundred young people from around the world selected to attend the summit after demonstrating their commitment to addressing the climate crisis and displaying leadership in advancing solutions.
Baliozian was born and raised in Paris and spent her teenage years in Chicago. As a student in sustainable development at Columbia University, she realized the magnitude of the climate crisis and decided to dedicate her career and life to climate action. Since then, she has worked in the vertical farming industry, served as communications mentor to the Zero Hour youth-led climate movement, helped build the first-ever museum dedicated to climate change in New York, and launched Climate Communicators, a climate communications platform that encourages positive and constructive conversations about climate change.
“This summit is my opportunity to promote the critical role of climate communications in the fight against climate change,” said Emilie. “It’s not just about giving it more airtime on the news — it’s about building ambition, showcasing solutions, proving they are in reach and ready to be scaled.”
The Youth Climate Summit will feature a full-day of programming that brings together young activists, innovators, entrepreneurs, and change-makers who are committed to combating climate change at the pace and scale needed to meet the challenge. It will be action-oriented, intergenerational, and inclusive, with equal representation of young leaders from all walks of life.
“Youth are showing us the way on climate action,” said Luis Alfonso de Alba, special envoy for the 2019 Climate Action Summit. “I am eager for young climate leaders from all over the world to take their rightful place on the global stage and participate in this historic moment.”
This post was adapted from a press release by the United Nations.
Involvement and the presence of the youth at events like the UN Youth Climate Summit is a clear sign that the youth in the 21st century is very much concerned about the climate and sustainable development. Greta Thunberg is also one of the very vocal climate activist. Good to hear about the other youth activists, leaders and graduates like Emilie Baliozian doing their bit to solve the climate crisis.