More than a hundred young climate activists on Tuesday unveiled a 20-point Youth Climate Rights Charter and handed over a position paper to the Environment Ministry, calling for the demands and lived experiences of climate-affected communities to be reflected in Bangladesh’s national policies.

The charter was unveiled and the Youth Climate Position Paper 2026 handed over at the closing ceremony of the four-day Bangladesh Youth COP 2026 in Tejgaon, organised jointly by ActionAid Bangladesh and Brighters.

Developed through consultations with young people from all 64 districts and marginalised communities in climate-vulnerable areas, the position paper focuses on seven key areas -- climate mitigation, locally led adaptation, loss and damage and climate finance, technology transfer, climate education and awareness, gender equality and social inclusion, and youth leadership in policymaking.

The paper draws on focus group discussions, storytelling sessions, participatory mapping and community scorecards, as well as experiences from seven climate-vulnerable areas and three years of research across six vulnerable clusters.

The conference, themed “Paris to Antalya: A Decade of Climate Commitments and Realities,” also featured discussions with civil society representatives, experts, diplomats and children from marginalised communities.

Nineteen young people from the Climate Policy Negotiation Fellowship took part in a mock international climate negotiation on loss and damage, climate finance, just transition and Bangladesh’s strategic position at COP31.

Speaking at the event, Dr Fahmida Khanam, acting secretary of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, said young people could play a significant role in addressing the climate crisis, including by raising awareness, preventing biodiversity loss and highlighting climate risks.

Kazi Ehsanul Haque, director general of the Climate, Environment and Transboundary Water Resources Wing at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said young people should be more actively involved in climate policy and decision-making as decisions taken today would affect their future.

Australian High Commissioner Susan Ryle said effective climate action required governments, local communities, young people and affected populations to work together, while COP31 should focus on implementation and ensuring that vulnerable communities are heard.

Representatives from Denmark and Maldives also stressed the importance of connecting climate policymaking with ground realities and placing young people at the centre of climate action.

Nizam Uddin, a young representative from a marginalised community in Hatiya, Noakhali, said storms and waterlogging often cut island communities off from the outside world, disrupting transport and healthcare services.

“Basic services and local protection must be prioritised in climate adaptation policies,” he said.

The session, moderated by Farah Kabir, Country Director of ActionAid Bangladesh, emphasised the need to bring the demands of marginalised communities in Bangladesh to the global stage.

At the closing session, Brighters Chairperson Fariha Aumi presented the Bangladesh Youth Position 2026 on behalf of young people, which was formally received by Dr Fahmida Khanam.

The session was chaired by Ibrahim Khalil Al-Zayad, chairperson of ActionAid International Bangladesh Society, who expressed hope that the recommendations would be reflected in Bangladesh’s official policy positions at COP31.

The four-day programme began on Sept 19 with a march from Police Plaza to Global Platform Bangladesh, followed by thematic discussions, an international online dialogue and the main closing conference on Tuesday.