YEREVAN, Armenia — More than 100 young people, representing all regions of Armenia, came together in Yerevan on September 6-7 for the Local Conference of Youth (LCOY Armenia), which is part of the global YOUNGO network, the official youth constituency of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change. Organized by environmental youth leaders and AUA students Narek Ohanyan (BSCS ’26 and COP27 attendee) and Ani Paltajyan (BAEC ’28 and COP28 attendee), LCOY Armenia 2025 is supported by UNICEF Armenia and the American University of Armenia (AUA) Acopian Center for the Environment.
Joining the conference, which took place at AUA, were members of the Climate Change Youth Advisory Board, established by Armenia’s Ministry of Environment and UNICEF earlier this year. The two days concluded with a final youth statement that LCOY participants voted for at the conclusion of the event. The statement was shared with the Ministry of Environment and was also submitted to YOUNGO to contribute to the Global Youth Statement that will be released at COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
“A key message of the National Youth Statement and what we heard from multiple participants was that we need urgent and accountable climate action at the community, national, and global levels. Promises must turn into policies, and policies into progress. For this to come true, we must all join hands to build a climate-resilient future where every young voice is heard, every idea is valued, and every action counts,” shared Paltajyan and Ohanyan at the close of the event.
“Young people are not just the future, they are the present. And at present, climate change affects them disproportionately. This is why we must ensure that climate policies protect their rights and futures. This is also why their voices, ideas, and leadership are essential to solving the climate crisis. To do that, young people must be meaningfully included in climate decision-making, from local to global level. Armenia has already made strides to institutionalize youth participation in climate governance, and UNICEF stands ready to further support these efforts,” noted Christine Weigand, the UNICEF representative in Armenia.
“The LCOY 2025 in Armenia has been an inspiring undertaking by our youth. They created a highly inclusive process, ensuring the views of young people from all regions of Armenia are represented. Even though Armenia is not a large contributor to global greenhouse gas emissions, the impacts of climate change will be significant in the country and the Caucasus region. Water security, food security, energy security, and public health are at stake. Youth engagement is essential to ensure they have a say in their future. Importantly, Armenian youth are able to collaborate and connect, agreeing on recommendations and demands that could impact the future of the country. It also demonstrates their growing recognition of their role as global citizens,” stated Alen Gasparian Amirkhanian, director of the AUA Acopian Center for the Environment.
LCOY Armenia 2025 featured multiple interactive workshops and panel discussions, youth-led climate activities, and policy drafting sessions that were also attended by climate policy leaders and representatives from the Ministry of Environment, UN Armenia, and civil society organizations.
The LCOY Armenia 2025 National Youth Statement for COP30 is available to the public. For the Armenian version, click here. For the English version, click here.
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Photo Copyright: UNICEF/Armenia2025/Galstyan
The AUA Acopian Center for the Environment, a research center of the American University of Armenia (AUA), promotes the protection and restoration of the natural environment through research, education, and community outreach. The AUA Acopian Center’s focus areas include sustainable natural resource management, biodiversity protection and conservation, greening the built environment, sustainable energy, as well as information technology and the environment. Visit ace.aua.am.
