Young delegates gather at a green summit in Shanghai on Monday. [China Daily]

More than 200 youths gathered at a green summit on Monday in Shanghai, pledging to push for low-carbon development around the world.

"We must spread the low-carbon green ideal and blaze a path for the development of global green talent," said a statement from delegates at the opening of the second International Youth Summit on Energy and Climate Change.

About 220 university students and members of non-government organizations and industries from around the world are holding the two-day summit at the United Nations Pavilion at Expo 2010 Shanghai.

They are there to discuss a wide range of issues, including international climate negotiations, low-carbon industrial development and environmental protection.

The summit also focuses on the future of green jobs for young people, demonstrates how to support low-carbon technologies and leads young people to find what interests them in the field.

Awni Behnam, the United Nations commissioner-general for the United Nations Pavilion, said climate change is one of the most crucial issues that young people must face.

"(It) affects your life and your future," Behnam said.

In his speech at the opening ceremony, Behnam focused on the effects of mistreating the ocean. He said that land-based water, air and solid pollution, along with maritime transportation, energy exploitation and illegal fishing, have negatively affected the ocean's ability to absorb carbon dioxide and regulate the earth's temperature.

"We hope that the summit will serve as a wake-up call among young people," said Sun Xiaoming, the summit secretary-general and a geography major at Peking University.

"Young people of all professions and academic fields should be able to join hands to contribute their knowledge and wisdom to tackle climate change and develop a low-carbon economy," Sun said.

The International Youth Summit on Energy and Climate Change is a non-governmental youth organization that focuses on energy and climate change. Its key organizers come from the Tsinghua University Student Green Association, Peking University, the Clean Development Mechanism and the Youth Climate Action Network.

The international summit is a platform for future leaders in the green industry to gain international experience. The United Nations Environment Program has given its support to the summit by offering the United Nations Pavilion for use as the venue.

(China Daily July 13, 2010)