By Derek Basil-Porter, California Environmental Voters Education Fund Youth Ambassador
Climate Challenges Facing Cities Worldwide
Pollution, rising temperatures, and water scarcity are among the many climate challenges affecting cities worldwide. Addressing these problems is necessary because they adversely impact the health of families, the elderly, and young people. As a Youth Ambassador for California Environmental Voters, ensuring that young people, like me, take part in climate conversations is crucial.
Attending COP30: A Global Climate Conference
This past November, I had the opportunity to attend an international climate conference, supported by my undergraduate college, that focused on addressing global challenges such as food and water insecurity, sea-level rise, and air pollution. The event is called the Conference of the Parties (COP), and it is hosted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).
COP30 in Belém, Brazil: A Gateway to the Amazon
This year’s UNFCCC COP30 Climate Conference was held in Belém, Brazil, a city known as the gateway to the Amazon Rainforest, one of the most biodiverse regions on Earth, home to billions of trees. As an African-American-Brazilian, being at this event was place-rooted and deeply meaningful to me.
At COP, government leaders, non-profit organizations, and corporations from around the world gather to discuss how we can reduce global warming and accelerate climate action towards a better, cleaner world. This year’s COP was important because it marked the 30th anniversary and brought together over 150 countries.
During my time there, I attended high-level meetings and panels exploring climate solutions across themes ranging from sustainable urban mobility to climate financing pathways. I sat in on meetings with the Ministry of Environment in the Dominican Republic, the World Trade Organization, and the First Lady of Brazil, all of whom expressed their concern about achieving climate solutions.
U.S. Absence at COP30: California Steps Up
Unfortunately, the United States was absent because the Trump administration declined to send delegates. However, California Governor Gavin Newsom was among the few U.S. government leaders in attendance, emphasizing that climate action at the state level remains a priority and showing Newsom’s climate policy leadership in California.
The Importance of Youth in Climate Policy
Overall, attending COP30 as a Youth Ambassador for California Environmental Voters was an unforgettable experience. Being there at a young age highlighted the importance of youth climate leadership and including young voices in conversations that shape our environment. Absorbing the content at COP30 motivated me to learn how I can use this information to improve air and water quality in California and address climate challenges in my region.
