“The laws of life are written into every atom, molecule and heartbeat. We are immersed in the sweet law of unfolding mystery called life.” 

-Bryan McGil, Simple Reminders: Inspiration for Living Your Best Life

Our COP20 team has certainly “hit the ground running” here in Lima.  Through the transition from our typical school days at the School of Environmental Studies in the suburbs of the Twin Cities to attending the first day of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, our little COP20 team has found ourselves immersed in cultural diversity, climate change analysis, and the ocean breezes of Peru.  The immersion, unlike anything we have ever experienced, is possibly the best global life lesson that we could ask for.

Henry, immersed in the sea breezes of Peru.

An opportunity arose today, on the first day of the Conference of the Parties, to participate in a panel and small group discussion involving engagement of the public in climate change policy, primarily focusing on the empowerment of youth.  Finding ourselves, as high school students, in the spotlight of this issue, we were able to provide personal experiences regarding productive measures for inspiring youth to tackle the issues surrounding climate change and its effects. 

The number of voices and opinions was outstanding; the delegates that attend these conferences truly want to be here and share their opinions.  The discussion, despite its far-reaching nature, often transitioned to the controversy over the effective governance of climate change issues.  Individuals from ENGO, Environmental Non-Governmental Organizations, often promoted the “bottom-up” approach, focusing on small activist organizations to empower youth and involve them in rallies and government events that help them to find their voice and hopefully, find the inspiration to take action.  Other individuals, primarily from larger organizations focusing on finance, promoted the “top-down” approach, with the goal of taking action on a larger governmental scale to bind constituents to carbon reduction mechanisms.  The bottom line, as in many areas relating to global issues, is that a global balance and international cooperation is the key to widespread change.

When planning my list of events this morning, the engagement of the public in climate policy session was not necessarily the event that I would have expected to be especially empowering or eye-opening.  However, being thrown into a group of people separated by international borders, occupations, and opinions, the ability of our group to maintain a respectful, lively, and motivational conversation was a great way to kick off the conference.

Without the opportunity to learn from others, collaborate, and unite towards a common goal, the idea of climate change often seems to have a lingering detachment.  Throwing ourseleves into opportunities for direct participation helps to bridge the gap between borders, between languages, and between focuses, and continues to provide inspiration and hope for a more sustainable future.