COP26 disappoints young people from developing countries

The pandemic and high costs made attending COP26 difficult for young climate activists from developing countries. Though they left disappointed with the results, some saw hope in solidarity and making their presence felt

It was a tale of contrasts at COP26, the 26^th edition of the UN’s annual climate conference which wrapped up over the weekend in Glasgow, Scotland. While young people on the streets staged furious protests and called for urgent action, inside the key negotiations happened behind closed doors, with important actors like the US, China and India doing more to lower ambitions than raise them.

As the conference came to an end, the anger and disappointment among young people – especially those from developing countries who faced difficult odds getting to COP26 in the first place – was palpable. A lack of concrete action and the failure of rich countries to deliver on climate finance were key reasons for their despair.