CCOP Youth
Today (Nov. 5) Greta Thunberg declared that COP26 is a failure.
She was quoted stating, “It is not a secret that COP26 is a failure. It should be obvious that we cannot solve a crisis with the same methods that got us into it in the first place.”
Is she right?
Last night a few people from our CCOP team were finally able to sit in on an official UN negotiation on Loss and Damage, the push for financial compensation for developing countries who are suffering the worst of climate change impacts. It was an uneventful, boring meeting in which delegates critiqued the language and word choice of a single document, trying to reach consensus. Their deadline was today.
Climate activists, including many key young leaders like Greta, are far from satisfied.
Their sentiments have only grown as many of the high-level talks are held in closed spaces of the COP, not accessible even to the majority of those with badges and credentials. Even with an entire day dedicated to “Youth Empowerment'', many young people have felt like when their presence is invited, they are only used as a token youth put forward when it serves those who hold the power.
Even while cynicism is an understandable temptation in negotiations and events like this one, there have been a number of bright spots including the tone Secretary John Kerry took in his remarks giving an update on the first five days of the conference. “Personally, after having been to many COPs, I will tell you, there is a greater sense of urgency and focus. I have never in the first few days of any of the COP’s I have been to count as many initiatives and as much real money being put on the table even as there are question marks legitimately about some of the money,” said Kerry. He would go on to reference the historic agreements around methane and deforestation that have been the first major marks of progress to come out of Glasgow, with 70% of the world's countries agreeing to the methane pledge and over 80% agreeing to halt deforestation. These agreements are part of what led Kerry to say this conference “is far from business as usual.”
Nevertheless, furious over the persistently lethargic progress in these high-level meetings, thousands have taken to the streets to protest. It was estimated that 20,000 people marched in Glasgow today, adding to the roughly 40,000 attendees of COP26.
Joining the streaming crowds on the streets this morning, we were caught up in a surprising, colorful energy. Catalyzed by the Fridays for Future activists, young people, old people, and even whole families championed vibrant signs and banners with this familiar chant washing away the noise of city traffic:
“WHAT DO WE WANT?”
“CLIMATE JUSTICE!”
“WHEN DO WE WANT IT?”
“NOW!”
Championing youth climate action, one of our very own CCOPers from the Philippines, Marinel Ubaldo, spoke at no less than five events today alone. She started the day talking to college students from the Philippines, highlighting the role of Filipino youth in demanding climate justice in big conferences like the COP. Then, in one of her speaking engagements at the Ferry Extreme Hangouts, she highlighted the fact that climate change deprives human rights, and how it is a humanitarian crisis. In the next talk she gave in the Green Zone with Malala Yousafzai, she talked about contextualizing climate education so it could be relatable to communities and that people will know its implications to their lives and livelihood.
At the end of the day, youth still have to keep insisting our demands are met by world leaders to be considered at the negotiating table. Until then, we must sustain our resistance.
Prayer Requests
Pray that Christian climate activists can remember the reason for their hope, which is not dependent on their success or failure in climate activism.
Pray that there will be a true, actionable, and realistic outcome of COP26.
Pray that after COP26 leaders will find it in their hearts to put into action what they have negotiated and agreed upon during COP26.
Pray that at the next COP, young activists, marginalized communities, Indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable groups will already be part of the negotiating table and decision-making processes.
Pray that leaders will drop the youth-tokenistic agenda, and will start considering youth and vulnerable people’s demands and calls for action.
This article is republished from CCOP's Daily Update newsletter.