In brief
In Juba, South Sudan, teenagers are urging governments to move beyond pledges and fund climate‑resilient school infrastructure, early‑warning systems, and aid for flood‑affected families. They emphasize the need for climate education and sustainable agriculture as part of national adaptation plans.
In Juba, South Sudan, a group of teenage climate activists gathered to ask national and international leaders to put the United Nations Climate Summit resolution into practice before the 31st Conference of the Parties (COP31) in Antalya, Turkey. The event, organized by Save the Children and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry, drew young delegates who highlighted how extreme weather is crippling education, food security, and public health across the country.
17‑year‑old Siama Santino, a student who must wade through floodwater to reach school, told Xinhua that "every morning when you wake up, you have to think of how much you are going to move in water or first remove your shoes to reach school." She urged the world to fast‑track humanitarian aid for households displaced by flooding and to integrate climate‑risk education into school curricula.
Similarly, 18‑year‑old Amoko Ronny, a student and children’s council representative, underscored the link between climate shocks and poverty. He said that extreme heat forced local children out of classrooms for two weeks in 2024, while recurrent floods destroyed crops, worsening food shortages. He called for "children to be the top priority" and for investment in "climate‑resilient school infrastructure, early warning systems, sustainable agriculture and clean energy."
The appeal focuses on three concrete actions: first, building schools that can withstand flood and heat stress; second, upgrading early‑warning systems that ensure communities receive timely information before disasters; and third, providing direct relief to families killed or displaced by climate disasters. The delegates pushed for donors and the government to earmark funds for those projects and to link them to national adaptation plans.
Save the Children spokesperson representatives highlighted that the activists’ message aligns with the World Bank’s observation that over 90% of South Sudan’s population lives in rural areas that are vulnerable to climate change. They argued that failure to act would impede the country’s social recovery after ongoing conflicts and that climate action is a national security priority.
Members of the Ministry of Environment and Forestry responded by acknowledging delays in implementing resilient infrastructure and pledged to accelerate the procurement of flood‑resistant materials. They also committed to reviewing the budget for early‑warning system upgrades to meet the activists’ recommendations.
As COP31 approaches, the young activists stress that the summit’s outcomes must translate into visible on‑the‑ground projects to protect the most vulnerable. They call on both national authorities and international partners to move beyond lofty pledges and deliver tangible, climate‑resilient outcomes by the time the conference concludes in November.
