Ms Sally Higgins

Youth Climate Champion for COP31

Sally is the Presidency Youth Climate Champion for COP31, focused on strengthening practical and meaningful youth engagement in climate decision-making. The role is an internationally mandated position under the UNFCCC, jointly supported by the Australian and Turkish COP31 Presidencies to ensure youth perspectives are reflected in global climate processes.

Sally works to ensure young people, particularly those from regional and climate‑exposed communities, have clear pathways to influence policy and outcomes.

She has experience across government, consulting and industry in climate, agriculture and natural resource policy. Most recently as a Director at Nous Group, she led work on community transition planning, regional economic diversification, and natural resource strategy, with a focus on place‑based and evidence‑driven approaches.

As a Nuffield Farming Scholar, Sally brings a global perspective on climate, land use and food systems, grounded in regional and agricultural communities.

In 2026, Sally is convening regional youth dialogues, elevating youth perspectives into COP31 preparations, and embedding youth input into climate policy processes.

ABSTRACT

Young people are already shaping the future of food systems. Across Australia, the Pacific and beyond, they are adapting to climate impacts, building new businesses, leading change in their communities and finding practical solutions to complex challenges. Yet too often, the decisions that will affect their futures are still being made without them.

For many young people, climate change and food insecurity are realities already influencing how food is grown, produced, distributed and accessed. Through conversations with young farmers, researchers, entrepreneurs and community leaders, a common theme emerges: young people do not lack ideas, capability or motivation. What is often missing are the pathways, partnerships and opportunities to ensure those ideas can influence decision-making and create lasting change.

Drawing on her experience as the COP31 Presidency Youth Climate Champion (PYCC), Sally Higgins brings a unique perspective from working across sectors, regions and communities to connect young people with climate decision-makers at all levels. The role provides an opportunity not only to advocate for youth voices, but to listen to the diverse experiences of young people working at the frontline of climate impacts and food system transformation.

This presentation will share what young people are seeing, what they are already doing, and what they are asking of governments, institutions and decision-makers. As attention turns to COP31 and the challenge of turning climate commitments into action, the discussion will explore why resilient food systems cannot be built for young people-they must be built with them.