This past fall, world leaders were scheduled to meet in Glasgow, Scotland, for the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26). But the annual meeting, which discusses ways to slow rising global temperatures, was placed on hold because of the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s when young people decided to step in. In November 2020, kids, teens, and young adults from 140 countries held their own climate conference, called Mock COP—online.

The 330 Mock COP youth delegates gave speeches on YouTube about the effects of climate change. Then they voted on a treaty via video chat. The declaration laid out delegates’ demands for tackling the climate crisis. These included increased climate education and youth participation in climate decision making.

The delegates sent the document to world leaders who will attend the rescheduled COP26 later this year. “We hope our treaty will drive them to act,” says Bea Dolores, a 24-year-old delegate from the Philippines. “Our future is at stake.”