Dr. Anirudh Janagam
India
GRASSROOTS ACTION
Local Voices,Global Change
The journey to COP begins at the grassroots level. Local Conferences of Youth (LCOY) are YOUNGO-endorsed events that empower communities and shape national climate policy through the UNFCCC process.
115+ Countries
Hosting Local Conferences of Youth annually, making it the largest youth-led climate mobilization on Earth.
What is LCOY
LCOYs are national and sub-national level events hosted by children and young people under the auspices of YOUNGO. Their purpose is to empower and articulate youth action against the climate crisis, influence decision-making spaces at the national level, and connect local communi
ties to the wider international climate negotiations. By building their own National Youth Statements (NYS), LCOYs contribute directly to the Global Youth Statement while also advocating for climate policy at home and helping generate strong citizen engagement at the local level.
National Youth Statements (NYS)
Each LCOY produces a National Youth Statement: a democratic, consultative document developed through workshops, debates, and peer reviews that represents the unified climate demands of a nation's youth.
Grassroots Empowerment
LCOYs democratize access to the UNFCCC process by providing capacity building, advocacy training, and networking to young people who might not otherwise engage with international climate negotiations.
Core Purpose
LCOYs are designed to:
- Facilitate inclusive, youth-led participation in climate governance
- Strengthen national youth climate movements
- Build capacity for meaningful engagement in UNFCCC processes
- Generate policy inputs reflecting local realities
- Bridge the gap between grassroots youth and global negotiations
Guiding Principles
LCOYs operate under core principles of being youth-led, inclusive, transparent, locally relevant, and grounded in safe and ethical engagement practices aligned with YOUNGO values.
LCOY Process
2026 LCOY Liaisons
Reach out to the LCOY liaisons for guidance on hosting, applications, and coordination with the global YOUNGO process.
Jeremy Nathanael
Indonesia
Contact via phone or YOUNGO channels
Process phases
From application to global integration, each LCOY follows a structured six-phase journey.
- Phase 1
Application & Selection
Organizations apply to host LCOY. Selection is based on:
- Youth-led nature
- Capacity
- Inclusivity
- Alignment with LCOY principles
- Phase 2
Onboarding & Alignment
Selected organizers undergo:
- Orientation sessions
- Policy alignment
- Coordination with Working Groups
- Phase 3
Planning & Preparation
Includes:
- Team formation
- Partnerships
- Outreach strategy
- Program design
- Phase 4
Implementation
LCOY event includes:
- Workshops
- Consultations
- Panel discussions
- Policy drafting sessions
- Phase 5
Policy Output Development
Participants co-create:
- National Youth Statement (NYS)
- Phase 6
Integration into Global Process
NYS contributes to:
- Global Youth Statement (GYS)
- COY outcomes
- COP engagement
Key Outputs
National Youth Statement (NYS)
- Country-level policy document
- Reflects youth priorities and recommendations
Global Youth Statement (GYS)
- Consolidated global youth position
- Presented at COY and COP
Core Pillars
Capacity Building
Equipping youth with climate knowledge, negotiation skills, and advocacy tools.
Networking
Connecting youth organizations, leaders, and communities.
Policy Building
Developing structured, evidence-based youth policy inputs.
Governance & Roles
LCOY Organizers
Lead planning and execution.
LCOY Working Group
Supports coordination, onboarding, and monitoring.