UNITED NATIONS-St. Lucian was appointed to UN Secretary General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.

UNITED NATIONS, CMC – United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, has appointed St. Lucian national Jevanic Henry among seven young leaders to the second cohort of the Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change.

“Our survival, particularly as Small Island Developing States (SIDS), now depends on a global community, which is unified in urgently advancing the climate agenda with the power of young people being a crucial catalyst to drive this much-needed accelerated action,” Henry said.

He has credited the Caribbean Youth Environment Network (CYEN) for his initial exposure years ago in helping him identify how he can contribute to driving climate solutions.

In a statement, St. Lucia Consulate Consul General Jeremiah Hyacinth said, “this is a group of seven young climate leaders who will primarily provide advice and practical recommendations towards accelerating the implementation of the Secretary-General’s climate action strategy.”

Hyacinth said Henry and the other young leaders’ appointment is for two years and that Henry is the first from the Caribbean region to serve on this board “to ensure the youth perspectives remains at the heart of climate action at all levels.”

He said Henry is “no stranger to the climate change arena, having previously worked on various climate and development initiatives, particularly around climate finance at the Commonwealth and United Nations level.

“He has also been instrumental and continues to support local youth organizations in identifying and accessing funding sources for community-based climate projects.

“He hopes that through this role, he can be an avenue through which new doors can be opened for Caribbean youth in climate action while ensuring the voices of those often unheard yet most impacted, especially from the region, can be channeled to influence policy and action at the highest levels that will allow us to continue building resilient climate economies,” Hyacinth said.

He said Henry is also St. Lucia’s first Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Fellow currently assigned to the Permanent Mission of St. Lucia to the United Nations in New York.

The St. Lucia Consul General said the AOSIS Fellowship is a program currently funded by the Government of Italy, “providing young diplomats from Small Island Developing States with practical training in international negotiations around climate, oceans and sustainable development issues, geared towards boosting their national capacity.”