The regional conference will bring together youth organisations from 10 Asia-Pacific countries to develop shared climate priorities and strengthen young people’s contribution to international climate negotiations through the UNFCCC process.
A Bangladeshi youth organisation has been selected to host the Asia-Pacific Regional Conference of Youth (RCOY) 2026, marking a significant milestone in youth-led climate diplomacy and regional cooperation. The event will be held for the first time in Bangladesh as part of YOUNGO, the official Children and Youth Constituency of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which represents the voices of children and young people in global climate negotiations.
The selection reflects Bangladesh’s growing role in global climate discussions and its commitment to advancing meaningful youth participation in climate policymaking. As one of the countries most affected by climate change, Bangladesh provides a vital platform for dialogue on climate justice, adaptation, loss and damage, resilience and locally led solutions.
RCOY Asia-Pacific 2026 will bring together young climate leaders, activists and representatives from across the region to strengthen collective action and develop youth-driven solutions to address the climate crisis. The conference will be jointly organised by a regional coalition of 12 youth-led organisations from 10 countries across the Asia-Pacific.
A Regional Platform for Global Climate Action
SEECTO Bangladesh will serve as the host organisation for RCOY Asia-Pacific 2026. The initiative is supported by a diverse network of co-organisers, including Young Climate Champions (Uzbekistan), the Commonwealth Asia Youth Alliance, CultivEarth (India), Youth Climate Activists Pakistan (YCAPK), Climate for Us (Kazakhstan), the Youth Council for Climate Action (YCCA) (Cambodia), Mumkinchilik Dunyasi ES (Turkmenistan), the Commonwealth Youth Climate Change Network (CYCN) Asia, the Blue Water Association (Afghanistan), the Nepal Youth Lead Development Centre and the Tajikistan Youth for Water and Climate Network (Y4WC).
Together, these organisations will create a regional space for young people to exchange knowledge, strengthen partnerships and develop shared priorities for climate action.
Connecting Grassroots Voices with Global Climate Negotiations
RCOY serves as an important bridge between local youth movements and international climate policymaking. Through Local Conferences of Youth (LCOYs) organised in participating countries, young people develop National Youth Statements reflecting their communities’ challenges, priorities and proposed solutions.
These national statements are brought together through RCOY to create a unified Regional Youth Statement for Asia-Pacific. This document contributes to the Global Youth Statement, which represents the collective position of children and youth and is presented during the annual United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP).
The process ensures that the experiences and perspectives of climate-vulnerable communities, grassroots activists, Indigenous groups, young professionals and emerging climate leaders are reflected in global climate discussions.
Empowering the Next Generation of Climate Leaders
For SEECTO Bangladesh, hosting RCOY Asia-Pacific 2026 is not only an organisational achievement but also a strategic opportunity to strengthen the role of Bangladeshi youth in regional and international climate diplomacy.
“Hosting RCOY Asia-Pacific 2026 is an opportunity to amplify the voices of young people from climate-vulnerable communities and strengthen youth participation in shaping climate solutions,” said SEECTO Bangladesh.
The organisers emphasised that the conference will focus on strengthening regional solidarity, promoting inclusive youth leadership and advancing solution-oriented approaches to climate justice.
A Call for Collective Support
As preparations for RCOY Asia-Pacific 2026 begin, organisers have invited the Government of Bangladesh, the national government of the South Asian country, international development partners, civil society organisations, private sector actors and youth-led networks to support this regional initiative.
Through hosting RCOY Asia-Pacific 2026, Bangladesh aims to strengthen cooperation among young climate leaders, elevate youth perspectives in climate governance and ensure that the priorities of vulnerable communities across the Asia-Pacific region are reflected in future climate action frameworks.
The conference will serve as a platform to connect local realities with global commitments and reinforce the importance of youth leadership in building a resilient, equitable and climate-just future.
