Applications are now open for young people interested in joining the Nordic Youth Climate Action (NYCA) in-person delegation to COP31, the 2026 United Nations Climate Change Conference, taking place in Antalya, Türkiye, from November 9–20, 2026.

NYCA plans to select around 12 youth delegates, including project managers, to participate in the conference. Selected participants will be expected to attend COP31 for approximately one week. NYCA will cover travel costs up to a specified limit, provide shared accommodation and offer a daily food stipend.

To be eligible, applicants must be members of NYCA and have ties to one or more of the Nordic countries. Applicants who are not yet members will need to join NYCA before applying.

The delegation is designed to give Nordic youth an opportunity to engage directly with international climate negotiations, follow key discussions, connect with stakeholders and contribute to youth climate advocacy. Participants will be expected to make NYCA their main affiliation during COP31 and prioritise NYCA meetings, activities and responsibilities throughout the conference.

Before COP31, selected participants will take part in approximately six online meetings in addition to regular NYCA capacity-building sessions. They will also be expected to spend around 25 hours preparing independently, including attending relevant webinars, contributing to the NYCA Position Paper and reading reports related to the thematic area they will follow during the conference. Participants will also coordinate their travel with support from NYCA project managers.

During COP31, participants should expect to dedicate approximately three to four hours each day to NYCA-related responsibilities. These may include attending a daily delegation meeting, participating in bilateral meetings with stakeholders such as country delegations and NGOs, following specific negotiation tracks, supporting NYCA communications and social media activities, and taking on other tasks assigned by the delegation. Participants will also have time to follow negotiations, attend side events, meet other young people and explore the wider COP31 programme.

After the conference, delegates will participate in an evaluation call, complete an evaluation form and share their experiences with the wider NYCA capacity-building cohort.

Selection will be based on three main areas. First, NYCA will consider applicants’ engagement in the programme. While participants do not need to attend every capacity-building session, NYCA recommends attending at least half of the sessions to ensure adequate preparation for the UNFCCC negotiations. Second, applicants should demonstrate a clear motivation for attending COP31, including what they hope to learn and how they would like to contribute to the NYCA delegation. Previous climate-policy expertise is not required. Third, NYCA will consider diversity within the delegation, with the aim of representing young people from different Nordic regions as well as different levels of experience, backgrounds and skills.

NYCA is particularly interested in creating a delegation that gives young people who are newer to climate policy the opportunity to gain experience alongside participants with more established knowledge and skills.

Interested applicants are encouraged to apply and demonstrate their motivation, engagement and interest in contributing to the NYCA delegation at COP31.

For questions about the expectations for the in-person delegation, applicants can contact nordic.yca@gmail.com.

Location: Antalya, Türkiye
Conference: COP31
Dates: November 9–20, 2026
Expected participation: Approximately one week
Number of delegates: Around 12
Funding: Travel support up to a specified limit, shared accommodation and daily food stipend
Eligibility: NYCA members with ties to the Nordic countries
Application: Applications are currently open

CLICK HERE TO APPLY