The CVF-V20 Secretariat convened a Youth Roundtable on Climate Non-Negotiables in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 17, bringing together youth leaders, climate advocates, and representatives from the Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, academia, and civil society. The dialogue, organized in collaboration with the Institute of Regional Studies (IRS), served as a national platform for youth to reflect on Pakistan’s recent climate catastrophes and define priorities for the upcoming COP-30 in Belém, Brazil.

Discussions centered on five key themes: Climate Justice and Equity, Adaptation and Resilience, Climate Finance and Carbon Markets, Governance and Accountability, and Mitigation and Energy Transition. Participants shared their lived experiences from flood-affected regions, raised concerns over recurring heatwaves and glacier loss, and called for transparent, fair, and predictable climate finance that supports locally led resilience and youth-driven innovation.

The roundtable culminated in the adoption of the “Communiqué of the CVF Youth Roundtable on Non-Negotiables for COP30”, articulating a unified youth vision for climate justice and intergenerational equity. The communiqué emphasizes that climate action is a matter of rights, not charity, and calls for operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund, accelerating a just transition, and ensuring direct access to adaptation finance for vulnerable communities. It further demands meaningful youth inclusion in global climate governance, capacity-building in green skills, and transparent climate finance systems.

In closing, the youth declared, “Our future cannot be negotiated,” reaffirming their determination to contribute to a fairer, more resilient world. The outcomes of the roundtable will feed directly into Pakistan’s national position for COP-30 and the broader CVF-V20 youth engagement process.