Conference of Youth: It Begins

We’re beginning to see how much work we have ahead of us.  One day until COP begins!

On Friday, we joined approximately 700 other young people from around the world at the University of Kwazulu-Natal for the first day of COY.  This was our first real chance to get to know the other youth delegates and delegations who collectively make up YOUNGO, the youth constituency under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

After a slow start, COY launched into full swing with a tribute to Wangari Maathai, an inspiring Kenyan ecological activist.  The atmosphere in the room was intense.  There is a lot of passion and excitement present.

The delegation then split into two groups, with some of us taking a walking tour of a nearby nature park full of indigenous South African trees, and the rest hearing about the history of YOUNGO and youth representation at the UNFCCC’s Conference of the Parties (COP).

After a vegan lunch provided by Fry’s Vegetarian, we split off into various workshops.  I attended one that focused on civil society plans and proposals in Australia and the United Kingdom to achieve zero net emissions, and on other possible ways of eliminating greenhouse gas emissions.

Meanwhile, others attended workshops on the basics of the UNFCCC and the lessons that the youth climate movement can take from the 2008 Obama election campaign.

Simultaneously, several of COY’s participants were involved in running an action in downtown Durban, highlighting the Clean Development Mechanism under the Kyoto Protocol.

Later in the afternoon, the New Zealand Youth Delegation ran a workshop on climate change and the Pacific, which you’ll hear more about in a blog soon.

Finally, before evening coffee and a last minute rush to the supermarket, our co-convenors Rachel and Emma spoke in a panel discussion of youth climate NGOs, sharing their experiences from COP15 and COP16.

Friday was great start to what looks to be a hectic fortnight of caffeine, little sleep, and constant Twitter.  COY is a great experience, and we’re starting to feel like a part of a global movement, rather than just a small delegation from a small country.