Baku, Azerbaijan - 19 November 2024 Satita Ninsuvannakul, President of The Youth Fund, represented Thai youth in the “ASEAN Youth Leadership in Just Transition: A Call for Action at COP” session at the 29 th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, shining a global spotlight on innovative solutions to marine pollution.

Satita addressed the devastating impact of ghost fishing nets, which account for 46% of ocean plastic pollution, and presented The Nets Up Project, a circular economy initiative by The Youth Fund in collaboration with SCG Chemicals (SCGC). The project transforms discarded fishing nets into sustainable marine materials for textiles and everyday products. By involving 10 coastal communities through waste banks, the initiative reduces marine waste while empowering local economies and fostering shared responsibility. As part of her advocacy, Satita demonstrated how art can serve as a powerful medium for environmental communication. Product designs from The Youth Fund, such as a sea turtle entangled in nets, symbolize the urgent need to protect marine life. She concluded her speech with a call for international collaboration, urging nations to adopt similar models to combat marine pollution and advance sustainability.

The international youth seminar session provides an opportunity for youth representatives from various countries, including South Korea, China, Vietnam, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, to present projects and innovations for exchange and learning about shared challenges and opportunities. This will help promote and elevate the role of youth in the ASEAN region, in collaboration with youth from around the world, by introducing new approaches for a sustainable energy transition and amplifying the voices of young people on an international level.