Nairobi, Kenya — Young climate leaders from around the world will gather in Nairobi from 15 to 18 December 2026 for the Global Youth Summit for Climate Change (GYSCC) 2026, a four-day gathering designed to give youth a stronger voice in environmental governance and climate decision-making. The Nairobi youth climate summit is organized by the Youth Center for Dialogue and Peace (YCDP) in partnership with the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR).
The summit brings more than 50 delegates aged 18 to 35 — young policymakers, innovators, students, researchers, NGO members and representatives of international organizations — to Nairobi, the home city of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and a global hub of environmental governance.
What the Nairobi youth climate summit will cover
Over four days, participants will take part in plenary sessions and keynotes, capacity-building workshops, youth-led dialogues and roundtables, innovation showcases and networking forums. According to the organizers’ official announcement, the summit’s six objectives are to amplify youth voices, foster global collaboration, build capacity and skills, showcase youth-led solutions, form multi-sector partnerships and influence policy.
The programme is built around four thematic areas: climate action and sustainability; peacebuilding and conflict resolution; digital innovation and social entrepreneurship; and human rights and social justice. The organizers present environmental action as deeply connected to peacebuilding, equity, digital innovation and the Sustainable Development Goals — arguing that climate action without equity is incomplete.
YCDP and UNITAR: the partnership behind the summit
The Youth Center for Dialogue and Peace, which previously ran a Global Youth Summit for Change in Geneva, is organizing the event together with UNITAR. UNITAR’s own official programmes page confirms the summit’s listing, describing Nairobi — the home of UNEP — as the host city and the summit as a space where young changemakers exchange ideas, strengthen partnerships and co-create solutions for a more sustainable future.
Intended outcomes include stronger youth engagement in environmental policy discussions, a global network of connected young environmental leaders, and concrete youth-led action plans addressing local and global environmental challenges after the summit ends.
Why Nairobi matters
Holding the summit in Nairobi places it in the city that hosts UNEP’s global headquarters, a symbolic choice that the organizers describe as “the perfect backdrop” for youth dialogue on environmental governance. The choice underlines a wider pattern: with COP31 set for Antalya, Türkiye, on 9–20 November 2026, youth platforms are increasingly anchoring themselves in cities that carry institutional weight in climate governance.
Participation is by application through an online form reviewed by a panel for motivation and leadership potential. Two participation packages are advertised — Summit Access at 799 USD and a Full Package at 999 USD that adds shared accommodation — both including an official invitation letter, full summit access, a speaking opportunity, certification and a “Safari for Climate” excursion at Nairobi National Park.
FAKTA
- Event: Global Youth Summit for Climate Change (GYSCC) 2026
- Dates: 15–18 December 2026
- Venue: Nairobi, Kenya — home city of UNEP
- Organizers: Youth Center for Dialogue and Peace (YCDP) in partnership with UNITAR
- Participants: 50+ youth delegates aged 18–35, plus policymakers, experts and partners
- Themes: Climate action and sustainability; peacebuilding; digital innovation and social entrepreneurship; human rights and social justice
- Participation: By application; packages from 799 USD, including a “Safari for Climate” excursion
Youth engagement in climate diplomacy has been growing on multiple fronts this year: Hawaiʻi’s youth recently headed to their State Capitol to shape climate law, and youth delegations are a fixed feature of the UN climate conferences, including the upcoming COP31.
