The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) brings together world leaders from government, business and civil society for an annual Conference of the Parties (COP). This conference is the largest event held by the UN and is billed as “the foremost global forum for multilateral discussion of climate change matters.”
But what actually goes on at COP? How much can we believe the pronouncements of the politicians? What's the reality behind the media headlines? As carbon emissions and seas keep rising, is COP even worthwhile?
In 2022, Kaeden Watts (Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāi Tūhoe) and Tiana Jakicevich (Te Whakatōhea, Ngāti Kahungungu ki te Wairoa and Croatian) were the two rangatahi Māori delegates at COP27 in Egypt. OraTaiao was honoured to host them at our monthly Climate Action Kōrero webinar in May, where they shared their experience as members of the International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change. Their insights are invaluable for climate change campaigners in Aotearoa as we look ahead to COP28 in Dubai at the end of the year.