The choice of theme reflected an urgent reality that unites young people across borders: climate change is not only an environmental crisis but also a social crisis that profoundly affects their lives and futures. Oceans are warming twice as fast as they were two decades ago, and in 2024 alone, climate-related disasters displaced over 800,000 people — the highest number of new displacements recorded in 16 years . Climate change now threatens one in six cultural heritage sites  and exacerbates global water scarcity. It also erodes identity, traditional knowledge, community resilience, and cultural expression. Read more here