International youth climate change conference in Korea prepares for COP30

People participate in the Local Conference of Youth Korea 2025 at Seoul National University’s Gwanak Campus, July 4. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

More than 150 passionate young climate leaders from Korea and representatives from Madagascar, Brazil, Syria and Estonia gathered at Seoul National University’s Gwanak Campus for the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY) Korea 2025, the country’s official youth climate gathering recognized by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change youth constituency, July 4.

Held under the theme “Re: Climate – Rethink, Reconnect, Respond,” the conference offered a vital platform for Korean youth to reimagine climate solutions, foster stronger connections and shape practical actions for a sustainable future.

Anjatiana Radoharinirina traveled from Madagascar to talk about the need to take action on climate change centered around young people.

“Seventy percent of the population in Madagascar is under 35. That’s why investing in young people is not a choice, it’s a necessity,” she told The Korea Times.

Anjatiana Radoharinirina from Madagascar participates in the Local Conference of Youth Korea 2025 at Seoul National University’s Gwanak Campus, July 4. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

Radoharinirina coordinates the largest youth alliance in the country dedicated to addressing climate change, biodiversity loss and desertification. Her alliance brings together nearly 50 organizations and represents about 60,000 young people across Madagascar, and has also been a driving force behind the LCOY in Madagascar since 2023.

“Eighty percent of our population lives below the poverty line, and we are facing high rates of biodiversity loss and deforestation,” she said. “That’s why I focus on mobilizing youth to take action. My biggest message here is, even if you are in Korea, you can have an impact in the world’s most climate-vulnerable countries. All it takes is connection and collaboration.”

Mariel Sandra Korbe, an Estonian YouTuber and video creator living in Korea since 2019, spoke on how a growing passion for the environment has shaped much of her recent work.

“A few years ago, I started making videos more related to being environmentally conscious,” she said. “I use my platform to raise awareness about environmental issues. I started just picking up trash in my neighborhood and the mountains.”

These small individual actions soon expanded to include participation in various activities organized by Korean environmental groups.

“In Estonia, we call ourselves the nation of the forest, and our indigenous beliefs are closely tied to nature,” she said. “I get inspired by this cultural connection to create content that highlights the importance of coexistence with other life forms.”

Estonian YouTuber Mariel Sandra Korbe participates in the Local Conference of Youth Korea 2025 at Seoul National University’s Gwanak Campus, July 4. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

She volunteers at a wildlife center and actively collaborates with the Biodiversity Foundation in Korea. One initiative that particularly inspires her is the foundation’s effort to challenge negative perceptions of animals classified as “pests,” a category in Korea that includes wild boars and deer.

“What this foundation is trying to do is change people’s perception about these so-called pests,” she explained. “They are just animals.”

As an outcome of the conference, participants drafted the National Youth Statement, a declaration outlining youth perspectives on climate action and key demands to the Korean government and the international community. The statement will later be incorporated into the Global Youth Statement to be officially presented at the U.N. Climate Change Conference (commonly known as COP) in Belem, Brazil, this November.

“Your collective input, your perspectives and your proposals will be carried forward to inform youth contributions to COP30,” Brazil Ambassador Marcia Donner Abreu said in her welcoming remarks. “This conference of youth is an important moment of mobilization, reflection and determination. It represents the voice of a generation that refuses to remain on the sidelines, a generation that understands the urgency of the climate crisis and is actively working to shape solutions. The climate crisis is a defining issue of our time. But it is also an opportunity to redefine the way we live, govern and relate to the planet and to one another. I urge you to approach this conference with purpose and clarity. Be bold in your ideas, rigorous in your analysis and inclusive in your collaborations.”

Brazil Ambassador Marcia Donner Abreu, right, poses with organizers of the Local Conference of Youth Korea 2025 at Seoul National University’s Gwanak Campus, July 4. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

The event was hosted in collaboration with the Global Education Cooperation, an interdisciplinary graduate program of SNU, as well as Coolimate. Coolimate focuses on engaging young people in climate actions by teaching in Korean high schools, collaborating with global NGOs and offering platforms for active discussions about climate issues and practices.

“We work to uphold the rights of children and youth and to build their capacity to respond to the climate crisis both in Korea and globally,” Coolimate CEO Kim So-yun, a researcher at SNU who was one of the event’s organizers, told The Korea Times.

Coolimate runs a development project in Madagascar, one of the world’s most vulnerable countries to climate change. It also represents young Koreans at the U.N. Climate Change Conference through official participation, policy advocacy and global youth collaboration.

Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He’s also the co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative, and a freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency.