ESA at COP28: Day 3 & 4
Blog author: Malika El Mazhad
Dec. 2-3 Day 3 of COP28 and I dedicated today to learn more about the youth action movement by visiting the Youth Pavilion. Banners, artwork, music, and lots of young people sitting on the floor with their laptops, or gathered in breakout rooms debating, discussing, and sharing their knowledge, experiences, and current projects. It was a very refreshing environment have come from the intensity that surrounds negotiations on the other side of the Blue Zone.
This is not to take away the weight of the subjects being discussed by these young people. I attended a Youth Action area talk where young activist speakers encouraged fellow activists to not neglect their well-being. Climate anxiety is an issue within their community, as-well as the desire and sense of responsibility to help others, along with the pressures that come with the role of being a young advocate. It was good to see mental health being discussed amongst the panelists. Many of these young people are self taught on climate policy, and the issues of climate so their networks of digital knowledge sharing are a very important tool for them. COP28 provides an opportunity to meet fellow activists from around the world. For one young person I spoke with it was the first time he left his home country in Kenya but had built great friendships with other young activist through the online space. These young people are fantastic communicators, engaged and passionate about climate justice, and their climate action projects, they want to be heard and are doing a great job at navigating COP28 and building their platforms. This was one of the highlights of my day.
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Day 4 of COP23 and we cannot talk about tackling climate without talking about the critical role of women! This Cop28 I have heard from empowered women who are contributing to these efforts in inspiring ways, from the incredible female scientists and engineers, the formidable indigenous women on the Amazon, and 13-year-old Emirati green advocate Ghaya Al Hababi who I had the pleasure of meeting.
Today I visited the Green Zone on its opening day to the public and headed straight to the Women’s Pavilion. The exhibition was very immersive and some of the statistics reminded me of how much work still needs to be done to ensure greater equality on this topic.
Women’s overall participation in COP delegations and the UN is still too low. Women must continue to take up space even if it makes others uncomfortable. Our voices must be heard. We are not token gestures, and without the inclusion of women there is no chance of keeping 1.5 degrees alive.
I also attended Blue Zone sessions at the UK and U.S pavilions on the climate security nexus, and a very informative session with the authors of the latest UNEP 2023 Emissions Gap Report.
Today had such variety, and ended with observing the continued Global Stocktake Informal Consultation meeting where members states continue discussions to deliver this commitment.