The National Youth Council (KNZ) has called on Parliament to announce a National State of Climate Emergency.

The request to MPs was made during a session of the National Youth Parliament held on Wednesday morning.

“This will not only serve as a commitment from both sides of parliament but also as the first step to a unified Maltese front, from all stakeholders, to achieve this impossible task,” the council said.

It urged youth and youth organisations alike to join in this call and together work towards this cause.

This 17th edition of the NYP introduced youths between the age of 13 to 35 years old to different topics that are relevant to today's realities.

Faced with a political climate surrounding gender inequalities, the advancement of Artificial Intelligence and the ongoing global crisis of single-use plastic among others, these youth that came up with policy ideas in respect to their particular topic.

Presented at the highest representative body in Malta, the Youth Council gave these youths an opportunity to share, discuss and lobby practical changes with Members of Parliament.

KNŻ has always been ahead of its time suggesting policies such as Vote 16, Civic education in schools and the legal status of 16-year-olds in voluntary organisations.

Through its commitment to work more with other organisations, give independent youths a more structured voice, and put its Member organisations in the heart of its work, the Youth Council has embarked on numerous projects that all work towards the Sustainable Development Goals.