West Africa’s Young People Set Out Grassroots Demands for COP31, From Youth Climate Funds to Mangrove Planting

Antalya, 7 November 2026 — Across six West African countries, young people have turned local climate meetings into national demands for COP31: youth climate funds with money that actually reaches communities, a guaranteed seat in climate decisions, and practical action such as planting tens of thousands of mangroves.

The demands come from Local Conferences of Youth (LCOYs) in The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone, held ahead of the UN climate summit COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026. The conferences were supported over the past three years by Youth Opportunity and Transformation in Africa (YOTA) through the Africa Youth Partnership, funded by the Ford Foundation.

The Gambia: a fund and a quota

The Gambia’s final 2026 National Youth Statement calls for a National Youth Climate Fund with a dedicated budget, accessible applications and support for developing proposals. It also demands a minimum 30 per cent youth quota in national and local climate decision-making bodies, with real authority to take part in decisions.

Community priorities in the statement include coastal protection, early warnings, climate-resilient farming and reliable water and sanitation. The organising process was matched with practical action: the conference report records the planting of more than 40,000 mangrove propagules in the Sanyang wetlands.

Ghana: fairer budgets and public scorecards

At Ghana’s virtual LCOY on 22–23 August, co-convened by the Starlight Foundation and Nalike Africa, delegates linked climate equity to how public money is shared. They demand at least 40 per cent of the national adaptation budget for the Upper East, Upper West, Savannah and Northern regions, monitored through public community scorecards.

Other proposals include a US$5 million youth climate innovation fund, at least 30 per cent youth representation on national climate decision-making bodies, including Ghana’s COP delegation, and recognition of indigenous knowledge in climate policy.

Liberia: delivering on national climate pledges

Liberia’s LCOY concluded on 28 August with a National Youth Statement focused on implementing the country’s updated national climate commitments, its third nationally determined contribution (NDC 3.0). Organisers included Liberian Youth for Climate Actions and the Liberia Rural Women Organization for Climate Actions, with delegates from all 15 counties.

Delegates called for annual youth-led reviews of implementation and US$500,000 by 2028 to operationalise a youth climate innovation fund. Signatory organisations also committed to at least 50 per cent women’s representation in climate leadership roles.

Nigeria: a national conference in Abuja

Nigeria built its position through regional consultations, including a South-East gathering covering Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra and Imo, before the national conference in Abuja on 5 November. Its theme was “Advancing NDC 3.0 Implementation: Youth-Led AI and Climate Finance Capacity Building for a Resilient Nigeria”.

Speaking there, ActionAid Nigeria called for climate finance that reaches young people and vulnerable communities, and for young people to help shape how NDC 3.0 is implemented. Nigeria’s national youth statement had not yet been published at the time of writing.

Senegal and Sierra Leone: long-term plans and direct finance

Senegal’s LCOY on 8 and 10 October brought young people and children from all 14 regions together. Delegates validated the Pacte Jeunesse Climat Sénégal 2030, a youth climate pact for the period to 2030. At its solutions fair, Justdiggit presented farmer-managed natural regeneration from Senegal’s Groundnut Basin.

Sierra Leone’s youth statement draws on consultations across five regions and contributions from more than 50 youth-led organisations. It calls for a national youth climate fund offering simplified grants of roughly US$2,000–5,000, and for at least 30 per cent of climate finance flowing to the country to be directly accessible to youth- and women-led organisations. Proposals include warnings delivered through community radio, text messages and WhatsApp, youth-led mangrove restoration, and dedicated attention to disability inclusion and threatened cultural heritage within loss and damage.

From local meetings to the COP31 negotiating table

As the UN climate body UNFCCC explains, local and regional youth outputs feed into the Conference of Youth and the Global Youth Statement, which is presented to the COP Presidency and the UNFCCC Secretariat and used in engagement with governments. That link matters: the Global Youth Statement 2026 was launched as COY21 opened in Antalya on 5 November. More youth climate reporting is available in Watan News climate coverage.

FAKTA

• Six countries: The Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Senegal and Sierra Leone held Local Conferences of Youth ahead of COP31.
• COP31 takes place in Antalya, Türkiye, from 9 to 20 November 2026.
• More than 40,000 mangrove propagules were planted in The Gambia’s Sanyang wetlands during the youth conference process.
• Ghana’s youth demand at least 40 per cent of the national adaptation budget for its four northern regions.
• Sierra Leone’s youth call for simplified climate grants of about US$2,000–5,000 for young people.

Frequently asked questions

What is an LCOY?

A Local Conference of Youth is a national or local youth climate meeting, held under the UNFCCC youth constituency YOUNGO. Young people discuss climate impacts in their communities and adopt a National Youth Statement that feeds into the global youth statement for the COP summit.

What do West African young people want most from COP31?

Three things recur across the six countries: climate finance that communities can actually access, a guaranteed role for young people in climate decisions, and delivery on existing national climate pledges.

What is the Global Youth Statement?

It is the joint statement of the world’s young people to the COP, built from local and regional youth conferences. The 2026 edition was launched at COY21 in Antalya on 5 November and is handed to COP Parties, the COP Presidency and the UNFCCC Secretariat.

Why are mangroves part of the story?

Mangroves protect coasts from storms and erosion, store carbon and support fisheries. Young people in The Gambia planted more than 40,000 mangrove propagules, and youth in Sierra Leone propose youth-led mangrove restoration as practical climate action.

How is youth climate finance meant to reach communities?

The statements propose dedicated national youth climate funds with simple applications and small grants, and a share of international climate finance going directly to youth- and women-led organisations, instead of passing only through large institutions.