At the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, held in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11–24 November 2024, Soka Gakkai International (SGI) participants advocated for meaningful youth participation, rights-based approaches to climate action and the inclusion of civil society voices in the discussion on peace and security.

Against the backdrop of challenging geopolitical tensions and mixed outcomes, SGI representatives engaged in multiple initiatives highlighting the intersection of peace, youth empowerment and climate justice. SGI representatives also promoted solutions for ecological restoration and resilience by sharing stories of individual and community action at the grassroots level.

“This year, the issue of peace was pressing in the COP29 discussions. As a voice from civil society, we have partnered with other faith-inspired groups to share our perspectives on peace by asking the question: What really makes us safe?” said Lucy Plummer of SGI, who spoke during an event on this theme on 16 November, which was co-organized by SGI, SGI-UK, the Quaker United Nations Office, Quaker Earthcare Witness, Quakers in Britain and the Women's International League for Freedom and Peace (WILPF).

“We need to make peace with nature. We urgently need to disarm our ways of thinking about nature,” Plummer further emphasized. She added that while it is encouraging that the Baku Call on Climate Action for Peace, Relief and Recovery recognizes the interconnection between climate and peace, and that the Global Framework on Children, Youth, Peace and Climate Security aims to empower climate-sensitive youth peacebuilders, the issue of humans’ separation from nature—which is the root of the climate crisis—is missing from the conversations. “Unless we rectify this and make peace with nature, we simply will not have the wisdom needed to resolve this crisis and prevent so much suffering. The Indigenous Peoples know it and have been coming to these conferences every year with this crucial message.”

SGI engaged in several events focused on advancing youth engagement in climate policy processes and promoting youth well-being in climate action, including delivering a workshop titled “Self Care Is Climate Care” in partnership with the Afrika Youth Caravan to COP. “Human potential is infinite, as is our capacity to create value. We are striving for the voices of young people, Indigenous communities, women and those most affected to be heard,” shared Masahiro Yokoyama of SGI.

Flore Ghetti of SGI participated actively in YOUNGO, the UN’s youth climate constituency, and was invited to speak during a capacity building event on 19 November. Co-hosted by the United Nations University, the event, “The Role of Youth Empowerment for Advancing Climate and Biodiversity Action Synergies,”’ was aimed at sharing good practices and innovative capacity-building tools that empower youth to take the lead in implementing the Paris Agreement (climate) and the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (biodiversity).

Highlighting the need to support meaningful engagement by young people, Ghetti stated, “There are differences between the policy processes for climate and biodiversity, and in both cases, it can be difficult for youth to contribute. There is a need for peer-to-peer learning between youth on ways to effectively influence these processes.”

In her work with YOUNGO, Ghetti actively engaged in the negotiations on the Just Transition Work Programme. While no agreement could be reached, discussions will resume at the Subsidiary Bodies sessions in Bonn, Germany in June 2025.

Nobuyuki Asai of SGI highlighted faith groups' unique role in building bridges across divided communities. At an event titled "Dialogue and Partnerships for Just Transitions: Faith, Labour, and Policy" held at the Just Transition Pavilion on 16 November, he shared how the Buddhist community in Japan managed to bring people together across political divides, creating space for dialogue even when local communities were deeply divided.

In the context of their collaboration with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Rome Centre in Italy, the Italian Buddhist Institute Soka Gakkai (IBISG) co-hosted a side event with UNDP-Italy on “Global solidarity for climate action: Individual action and education.” Italian Minister of Environment and Energy Security Gilberto Pichetto Fratin delivered a welcome address, and youth from different countries shared their activities, highlighting the importance of personal commitment and educational initiatives in addressing climate challenges.

Regarding overall outcomes, the conference delivered mixed results, with many nations and civil society organizations expressing deep disappointment at the low level of ambition. While COP29 established a new climate finance goal of USD 300 billion annually by 2035 for developing countries, this fell far short of the USD 1.3 trillion demanded by developing nations to address mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage needs. The conference did produce agreements on carbon markets, guidance for adaptation progress indicators, a 10-year extension of the Lima Work Programme on Gender and new frameworks for mitigation dialogues. However, critics argued these measures lacked the necessary urgency and enforcement mechanisms to address the escalating climate crisis.

Against this backdrop, SGI continued its work from previous COPs, promoting the integrity of nature and rights-based approaches while emphasizing grassroots action and intergenerational solidarity. During an event at the Resilience Hub, co-organised by SwedBio, the Climate and Development Knowledge Network and SGI, advocates highlighted how a human rights-based approach to biodiversity and climate action is both an ethical imperative and the most effective strategy, requiring meaningful engagement with Indigenous Peoples and local communities through their full participation, consent and leadership in decision-making. When embraced as a fundamental operating principle by all stakeholders, not just governments, it holds the potential to address systemic causes of environmental degradation while ensuring intergenerational equity.

SGI remains committed to amplifying youth voices in climate policy and supporting faith-based perspectives in addressing the climate crisis.