Colby Student Attends United Nations Climate Conference in Germany

My name is Emily Wong and I attended international climate negotiations recently in Bonn, Germany.

I was at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meetings representing Colby College, a liberal arts college in Waterville, Maine where I am a rising junior studying environmental policy and economics. My participation was made possible through the support of the Buck Lab for Climate and Environment.

At the June 5th-15th climate meetings in Bonn, countries prepared for the next major UN climate negotiations, scheduled to take place in the United Arab Emirates later this year. These important June meetings took place amidst a U.S. public health crisis due to declining air quality as a result of widespread Canadian wildfires, as well as scientists’ increasing warnings about the severity and urgency of human-caused global climate change. This year’s UN climate meetings will help countries to evaluate their collective progress in tackling climate change through the Paris Climate Agreement, as well as to plan for more ambitious climate action in the years and decades to come—for instance by decreasing global reliance on fossil fuels.

At the Bonn meetings, I participated in important discussions about supporting just transitions to more sustainable economies. I met with governments and other stakeholders alongside members of the Green Jobs Working Group in YOUNGO, the official youth constituency of the UNFCCC, to discuss just transitions for workers, youth, and other affected communities, as well as to discuss international carbon markets.

My experience reiterated that climate change has several aspects to it: oceans, air, forests, health, displacement, food security, economics, finance, etc. This was an empowering experience that leaves me hopeful that change is possible, but we must collaborate and remember that economic success is still possible in more sustainable economies.

Reflecting on why it is important for our communities to engage with international climate meetings and the global community, I believe it is critical for stakeholders to be able to share our perspectives with those that make the decisions for us. Furthermore, it is important to realize that there are vulnerable communities within the U.S. that face disproportionate impacts of climate change, often dependent on their race, income, and geographic location. There are also entire nations that face disproportionate effects for similar reasons. We must continue to learn, collaborate, and speak up.

Climate change will not slow down for anybody—we must act now. It affects every single living being whether we realize it or not.