Emilie Tamo Kamguia

Why am I running?

We, young people, are the generation that will suffer the most from the consequences of past generations’ inaction on global changes, pollution, and the collapse of biodiversity, as well as their failure to adopt resilient, sustainable, and just systems on a global scale, guaranteeing our future well-being and that of all living beings.

Young people have already expressed their deep concerns and commitment and are calling to be heard by policymakers. Yet, we continue to be represented only marginally and symbolically in decision-making spaces, too often falling victim to youthwashing, where our presence is showcased but our voices remain unheard. I believe that not only do young people deserve a real say, but their vision should also be central in shaping the policies that impact our present and future.

What can I bring to the Advisory Council?

As Youth and Environment Europe (YEE)’s candidate, I bring experience in environmental governance, youth representation, education and advocacy. As an engineer, I have both hands-on technical environmental experience and in-depth knowledge of European and international environmental policies and legal frameworks. My participation in the 53rd meeting of the Advisory Council on Youth (CCJ) and the 52nd Joint Council on Youth (CMJ) in Budapest as a substitute has deepened my understanding of the Council of Europe’s unique co-management system.

If elected, I will build upon the work of my predecessor, Agnès, who successfully co-led the environmental portfolio and played a key role in the adoption of the Recommendation on Young people and climate action in 2024, while bringing my own approach. I am to ensure that youth rights, climate and environmental action, and social justice are at the core of the Council of Europe’s policies and funding, making them truly reflect our needs and aspirations as young people, particularly those who are marginalised, and fostering more inclusive and representative decision-making processes.

My priorities

My three main priorities and how I intend to work towards them:

I will place a strong focus on underrepresented youth inclusion in environmental decision-making processes and advocate for the recognition of the right to a healthy environment as a basic human right. I will work to ensure that young people have the tools, platforms, and support they need to be effective agents of change, driving the sustainability agenda forward.

Strengthening meaningful youth participation and intersectional approaches in environmental decision-making processes

Young people are often excluded from decision-making processes that directly affect their lives, especially the ones from marginalised communities. These communities are also the most severely affected by the impacts of the triple planetary crisis. Climate and environmental justice are therefore intertwined with intersectionality and inclusivity. Moreover, youth must not only be recognized as victims but also as powerful agents of change.

This is why I will advocate for ensuring that young people are not only represented but actively involved in policymaking, ensuring diverse and underrepresented voices are included in a meaningful way, not just symbolically, and going beyond tokenism. This includes promoting an intersectional approach across all youth policies to address structural inequalities and ensure policies reflect the realities of all young people.

How?

◦ Promoting youth-led solutions and advocating for stronger youth representation in decision-making processes at all levels
◦ Promoting an intersectional approach to ensure policies reflect the realities of all young people, regardless of gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic background, or geographic location.
◦ Fostering better representation of young people from diverse backgrounds in the youth programmes, projects and activities supported by the CoE
◦ Working towards simplifying policy language to make it more accessible and understandable to young people.
◦ Strengthening youth co-management within the Council of Europe and push for its expansion at national and local levels.
◦ Contributing to the implementation of CoE existing policies on youth participation and on inclusivity
◦ Contributing to the development of the roadmap to support the implementation of the Recommendation on Young People & Climate Action across Member States

Advocating for climate justice and the right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment

The triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution disproportionately affects young people, who will live with the consequences the longest. In light of the current geopolitical situation in Europe, particularly the ongoing Russian aggression towards Ukraine, reaffirming young people’s right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment is more crucial than ever.

I will therefore continue working to ensure that climate justice and the right to a healthy environment are recognised as both youth and human fundamental rights, directly linked with health and safety. In addition to the extensive work already done on climate change, I particularly intend to expand efforts on the two other planetary crises of pollution and biodiversity loss, pushing for young people’s reconnection with nature as a well-being issue and for the right to clean, unpolluted air, water and food products.

How?

◦ Advocating for climate justice and the right to a healthy environment to be fully recognised within the CoE human rights framework.
◦ Contributing to the development of the roadmap to support the implementation of the Recommendation on Young People & Climate Action across Member States

- Contributing to the action plan of the Council of Europe strategy on the environment and ensure its coherence with the Recommendation

◦ Making sure the planetary crises of biodiversity loss and pollution, and their impact on youth, are adequately tackled by the CoE action plan on the environment

Fostering education, capacity-building and youth empowerment for a green and social transition

For young people to be equipped to lead change and create a just and green future, they need knowledge, skills, and opportunities. In today’s context of widespread misinformation, particularly on environmental and climate issues, it is vital to ensure that young people are empowered to critically assess information and become reliable messengers of climate truth and social justice.

I will work to ensure the Council of Europe’s youth policies provide young people with tools to engage in both environmental and social governance and to become future-proof individuals, particularly by supporting capacity-building, non-formal and formal education, awareness-raising, and youth-led initiatives focused on sustainability and social justice. I aim to empower youth to take an active role in addressing the triple planetary crisis while also fostering social justice, inclusion, and equality.

How?

◦ Ensuring that CoE youth policies provide young people with real opportunities to gain skills in environmental and social governance.
◦ Promoting education as a key tool for advancing climate justice, social rights, and sustainability.
◦ Supporting the development of youth-led capacity-building programs that empower young people to take action and become ambassadors and disseminators
◦ Tackling climate disinformation by promoting media literacy, critical thinking, and accessible, science-based information available for young people
◦ Contributing to the development of the roadmap to support the implementation of the Recommendation on Young People & Climate Action across Member States