The rooms where climate decisions are made have always been difficult to enter, especially for young people from frontline communities.
In November 2025, the Youth Climate Collective launched the Negotiation Cafe, a capacity-building program designed to change that. The training brought together 10 young Nigerian climate activists and emerging negotiators for a two-session virtual workshop facilitated by Ugandan youth climate leader, Juliet Grace Luwedde.
The program demystified the UNFCCC architecture, built practical negotiation skills through role-play simulations, and equipped participants to translate advocacy demands into policy-relevant interventions. By the final session, young people who had never spoken in diplomatic settings were drafting statements, navigating coalitions, and preparing to engage Nigeria's national negotiators ahead of COP30.