While we have been preparing for the World Assembly regarding the study session on Climate Change and how young people (students) are contributing in addressing this global climate emergency, IMCS Pax Romana representatives have also been following, participating and presenting our contributions at the following conferences concurrently happening this week. 

IMCS Pax Romana participated in workshops focusing on specific thematic areas such as poverty, migration, socio- economic crisis aiming to prepare a roadmap for our future engagement on social justice and the promotion of work as care. Msgr. Anthony Ekpo, Under Secretary, Dicastery for Promoting Human Integral Development and Msgr. John Putzer, Counsellor at the Holy See Mission to the UN in Geneva, were part of the workshops moderated by Pierre Martinot-Lagarde, Special advisor on religious affairs, International Labour Organization – ILO under the theme “Social justice in the world of work and beyond: from common values to common engagement and action”. As organized by International Catholic Migration Commission (ICMC), “The Future of Work – Labour after Laudato Si’” Project cooperated with Catholic-Inspired Organisations (CIOs), together with other faith actors and COMECE, Aggiornamenti Sociali, CERAS, WCC, ATD Quart-Monde, CIOs, with the participation of WIEGO and international networks of workers in the informal economy.

In Bangkok, Bertha Samponu, the Asia Pacific coordinator of IMCS Pax Romana together with our partner from North South Initiative participated in the United Nations Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum, Asia-Pacific Under the theme “From Commitment to Action”. The 5th UN Responsible Business and Human Rights Forum aims to build on ongoing dialogue on the issues, challenges, and sectors the business and human rights community needs to act upon and what needs to be done to ensure commitments are put into action. In reference to the concept note, the Forum brought diverse interlocutors to discuss, debate, and share insights on issues ranging from the regulation of global supply chains and the implications of corporate sustainability due diligence to the recently recognized right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment, for example. There were also highlights on issues, challenges, and sectors that the BHR community needs to act upon, including the intersection of climate-induced labour migration, biodiversity and BHR, the responsibility of development financiers, and the role of micro-, small, and medium-sized enterprises, among others. Bertha also joined the sessions about Gender Equality and Women Empowerment in accelerating the climate action agenda as facilitated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

And then in Bonn, our representative from the JECI-MIEC Coordination, Fabian Abel from Germany has been following the 58 session of the Bonn Climate Change Conference Subsidiary Body Meetings (SBs) in relation to Climate Change. Through the Bonn Climate Change Conference, we hope that there would be an increase in the transparency and accountability of climate action for minimizing the impacts that climate change is having on the agriculture and food security sectors in most affected countries. And there will be decisions towards operationalising the new loss and damage fund and funding arrangements at COP28. There was also a debate about tokenism, how it continues to impact youth participation and listening to youth voices on matters of interest such as the Climate Change. At the Youth Action meeting, one of the concerns which affects youth participation in these conferences is about Visa Accessibility. Referencing the Open Letter, it has always been the case that “African and South and Southeast Asian delegates especially face long, intransparent visa procedures that cause rising costs and limitations in preparations, while often visas are not approved in time preventing the attendance altogether”.

In sum, we understand that the factors of Labour, Business and Human Rights all have an impact of the effects of Climate Change and clearly, they are all interconnected. Hence, going forward, we are building our capacity as young people and extending our networks for collaboration in addressing the rising issues in all these sectors from the youth perspective.