"Voice Of Global South": Young Climate Activist Licypriya Kangujam Heads To COP28

Licypriya Kangujam, a 12-year-old climate activist from Manipur, has said she will be the voice of the "Global South" at the UN COP28 summit being held in Dubai as she flew out of India on Wednesday to attend the key event.

"This climate summit is going to decide the future of our planet and our future. We will stop the green-washing of COP28. We will bring loss and damage funds to the centre of COP28. We want climate justice for the Global South," Ms Kangujam said in a statement.

"Climate crisis is not just threatening the habitats of countless wildlife and our lives, it's threatening our culture and identity too. Rich nations must show the real money this time in COP28 to pay for loss and damage to the millions of poor vulnerable people who are the victims of the climate crisis," said the young climate activist whose address at COP25 held in Madrid was recognised by world leaders.

She said she will also highlight the impact of the climate crisis in her state Manipur, caused by massive deforestation in the hills due to large-scale illegal poppy cultivation.

Ms Kangujam has often confronted world leaders for climate justice and to pay for the loss and damage caused by the climate crisis to the Global South.

Some 60,000 delegates from 190 countries will attend this year's climate conference in Dubai, and Ms Kangujam said she is the only person from Manipur going to attend the event. The public pitched in to back her visit to the COP28 with a fundraising campaign, she said in the statement.

Known for her "Child Movement" campaign, which aims to empower children to take action against climate change and inspire others to join the movement, Ms Kangujam has been mentioned in the English textbook of CBSE in Class 3 and 7 under the title "Child Hero".

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is also attending the COP28 in the UAE.

The World Climate Action Summit is the high-level segment of the 28th Conference of Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Notably, COP28 is being held from November 28 till December 12 under the Presidency of the UAE.

During the COP26 in Glasgow, PM Modi announced five specific targets, titled "Panchamrit", as India's unprecedented contribution to climate action. During the Summit, he also announced Mission Lifestyle for Environment (LiFE).