Preservation of the planet: young people must be heard, says Lula – 08/27/2023 – Environment

In his speech this Sunday (27th) in São Tomé, capital of São Tomé and Príncipe, President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) stated that it is necessary for the member states of the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) to turn to youth to understand the new world reality and to involve them more in economic, social and environmental issues of the planet.

“Ten years ago, CPLP young people had a premonitory attitude when they adopted the Youth Charter. This charter is a visionary instrument in proposing the concept of intergenerational justice. Today’s decisions directly affect the rights and opportunities of the next generation”, he said when participating in the 14th meeting of the group.

Lula also said he was concerned about what he classified as the irresponsible use of social media and the spread of fake news and hate speech that have threatened democracy.

“It is very opportune to return to this beautiful country to address an issue that unites us. Talking about youth and sustainability, the theme of this summit, is talking about the future. When I was young, the dilemmas of my generation seemed to be simpler. But when I talk to today’s youth, I realize that things are much more complex”, said the president.

He added that today’s decisions directly affect the rights and opportunities of future generations.

“At the beginning of the month, we gathered the presidents of the countries of the Amazon in Belém. We also carried out dialogues with civil society that had almost 30 thousand participants. Many of them were young people who are engaged in different ways in the fight against climate change. We need to putting people at the center of politics by creating solutions for the preservation of forests and biodiversity. We have to avoid neocolonialism that leads to a new cycle of predatory exploitation of minerals and other natural resources”, underlined the president.

The Brazilian president also stated that the energy and creativity of young people are the driving force in the search for innovative solutions to sustainable development challenges.

The other heads of state of the countries that make up the CPLP were also concerned about climate change, and defended the need to create common policies and outline strategies to mitigate its effects.