As the week begins to wind down, I am so excited about the work of Climate Generation to connect our audiences with the work going on at COP.
It is exciting to be able to share a glimpse into the hundred different activities happening at any given time here, and a reminder of how lucky we are to experience this moment in a global community. Each year, we are given feedback of the value of these everyday report-backs that tell the story of the experience and help readers feel like they are connected to this global conversation as well.
After another day following progress with partners, learning from panelists, meeting new allies, and speaking with decision makers, my favorite part of Thursday was connecting with a number of classrooms at home in the U.S. Students asked thoughtful questions that reflect the intelligence of the youth movement around the world. Some had read the young adult novel Exodus as part of our climate fiction #TeachClimate Network, which resonates closely with the stories we are hearing at COP from communities around the world who are facing displacement.
Other students have done different activities from our COP Educator Toolkit to step into the shoes of the experiences in different countries and the work of negotiators. Students are excited to have a connection to this work and feel even more closely connected to other youth leaders who are also in this work who we don’t often hear from in our daily lives.
Our work connecting other Minnesotans at COP is also valuable, so delegates know they have support from a well-connected team so they can get answers to any kind of question and don’t feel alone where it is so easy to feel overwhelmed.
I spoke with other U.S. delegates who weren’t even sure if others from their state were attending, and am grateful to have our local community come together while abroad, to provide support in attending events and lifting each other up, and divide the work when we can’t be in two (or twenty) places at once. Our delegates provided incredible moral support for one another in this exhausting time with climate anxiety on high, and proved that friends, wine, and tapas are the best way to wind down a tiring and trying day!
Friday brings the closing day of COP25. It is possible with the slow progress of negotiations that they will extend into the weekend if some aspects are close to agreement, or reconvene later in the year to finalize the rulebook before COP26.
We will share updates on this event’s outcome and future expectations, but cannot overstate the value of our global partners, our local partners, and sharing this experience with a broader community.