Why are we here (reflections on the role of youth at the UNFCCC)

By Sarah Arnold On June 16, 2011 · 6 Comments

Why are we here? The eternal philosophical question. And never have I found myself asking it so much as the past two weeks as a young person at the Bonn UNFCCC intersessionals for the first time.

In case you can’t tell, I’m having one of those days. One of those days where everything seems to go wrong. This morning I slept through my alarm, I submitted an action that got rejected, I spilt coffee all down myself, and now it’s 21.45 and SBI has just got started – it’s going to be a long night.

I’m tired, I’m overwhelmed, and let’s be honest, listening to what’s going on in SBI right now Article 17 Paragraph 12, I’m slightly confused. It’s hard to feel hopeful right now.

But if I’m feeling this stressed and frustrated, the negotiators must be feeling similar. They are human (apparently) after all! And tired, disheartened negotiators are not going to produce an optimal outcome – and it is an optimal outcome we all need right now!

And I think that’s why I’m here. As a young person, I think it is my role to bring that energy to negotiations, and the UN in general. We need to put aside our cynicism and weariness and remember that we can sleep at the end of the week, but right now we need to be positive and not allow anyone, not even ourselves, to lose enthusiasm.

In the last week, we have danced, we have high-fived negotiators, we have patted them on the back and presented them with awards and ‘Ray of the Day’. We have painted flags on our faces, worn capes, and sang songs as loud as we could. Sometimes we’ve looked like idiots, but negotiators have come up to us several times this week and thanked us for bringing life to the process.

So when this SBI meeting is over I’m not going to go back to my hostel and collapse in an exhausted, demoralised heap. Instead I’m going to go to a beergarden (if it’s still open!) and make a tree out of cardboard for tomorrow’s youth action. If you’re at the UNFCCC and feeling demoralised tomorrow come to the exhibition hall in the Maritim; you can write your wishes and ambitions for Durban on a paper ‘leaf’ and stick it to the tree and hopefully we will energise you to keep going just one more day!

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  • Mkstix6

    :)

  • http://tomyoungman.tumblr.com/ Tom Y

    Fantastic article Sarah. You’re all doing an incredible job and I hope they give your coach a 21-gun salute when it re-enters the UK.

  • Kelly

    Hang in there and keep up your great work! Kelly R.

  • http://un.ukycc.org/2011/06/17/why-are-we-here-reflections-on-the-role-of-youth-at-the-unfccc/ Why are we here (reflections on the role of youth at the UN climate talks) | Youth at the UN

    [...] Originally posted on Adopt a Negotiator [...]

  • Anonymous

    Can we really justify the travelling, employment and upkeep of these young people in order to bring ‘energy’ to professional negotiators and remind them ‘to be positive’? The tales of high-fives and sing-songs are indubitably entertaining, but perhaps more befitting of a holiday than of an activist at a UN convention. It is clear that we need action on these important issues; however, it is not clear that the role described here is conducive in any way to such an outcome.

  • Sarah Arnold

    Hi schofio,

    I’m not sure what you mean be ‘travelling, employment and upkeep of these young people’? I am part of an organisation called UKYCC (UK Youth Climate Coalition) and we all paid to send ourselves to Bonn, for our travel (an overnight public bus to reduce carbon useage), accommodation and food etc. We were also trained by other members of our organisation, all of whom are volunteers.

    As well as the role described here, I think the presence of young people - as part of general civil society - have a role in observing what goes on at the talks and communicating this often confusing and convoluted process back home. We can also try to influence what exactly is said in the text of the agreements (as youth successfully did as regards to Article 6, which deals with education, last year.)

    However, I still think bringing positivity to the talks is a very important part of what we do. Our very presence reminds negotiators why they are negotiating. And what is wrong with encouraging negotiators to cheer up anyway-if they become bored and unengaged the process will suffer.

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