I've recently returned to the UK after representing UCL students at COP29. My initial feelings were mixed. As a diplomacy freak, this was my first time attending a conference of this scale. At the end of the day, it’s a United Nations gathering, and I felt deeply privileged to be invited as part of UCL’s delegation to voice the concerns of students and youth. However, mindful of the limitations of the negotiations and my role, I didn’t feel too comfortable.
Without having negotiated behind closed doors, my (first and likely last) COP experience was more about observation and connecting with youth delegates and academics. I attended numerous events, where I asked questions and briefly spoke on stage at one UNFCCC youth event. Along the way, I met some remarkable youth delegates, youth activists, academics, negotiators, and UN staff.
Our Union is in a strong position to champion youth involvement in sustainability, and after meeting so many inspiring voices at the Sustainability Forum in the previous weeks, I’ve done my best to provide representation of UCL students.
I will share more details in a blog post next week about where we go from here in addressing climate change and environmental sustainability as students at UCL.