Girls are on the frontlines of the climate crisis. Across the Indo-Pacific, climate impacts, rising energy costs, and economic instability are making it harder for girls to eat, stay in school, and stay safe. These pressures are already reshaping lives and weakening stability across the region. Yet girls are also powerful agents of change. When their rights are upheld and their leadership is supported, they help build fairer,
safer, and more resilient communities.
COP31 is an opportunity to place people and fairness at the centre of climate action and demonstrate that multilateralism still delivers in an increasingly unstable world. To date, no COP has meaningfully prioritised adolescent girls. COP31 can change this by ensuring climate action delivers for girls, alongside
clear, time-bound commitments on climate finance, adaptation, loss and damage, and the transition away from fossil fuels.
This submission was developed by Plan International Australia, the Australian Youth for International Climate Engagement, and the Oceania Youth Climate Negotiation Network, informed by consultations with young people and experts.
