Bali
College of the Atlantic students will join youth leaders from across the country at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Indonesia which runs December 3 through 14. The two COA students, Lauren Nutter and Matt Maiorana, will be representing the voice of youth throughout the United States as part of the SustainUs delegation.
The students hope that the conference negotiations will spark a new framework for the international response to global warming,
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Lauren Nutter |
especially given the dire predictions recently released by the Intergovernmental Report on Climate Change.
The youth delegation is organized by SustainUS, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization of young people advancing sustainable development and youth empowerment in the United States. The students intend to demonstrate that youth are taking the lead in fighting global warming "It is ultimately our generation who will be dealing with the effects of decisions made today, so youth voices must be represented at the conference" says Nutter, who originally comes from Uxbridge, MA.
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| Matt Maiorana |
The delegation is a part of the internationally-recognized SustainUS Agents of Change program, designed to facilitate youth involvement in international policymaking and advocate for a sustainable future. The students were invited to join the delegation following a competitive, national selection process based on a written essay and resume to determine the students' demonstrated commitment to preparing for the issues of the climate change negotiations and ongoing work to make a difference regarding global warming.
In her role as Agents of Change Coordinator for SustainUS, Nutter helped lead the selection; Maiorana, of Pleasant Ridge, MI, has served as a policy coordinator for the delegation. Other members include a Rhodes Scholar, Watson Fellow, human rights videographer, and an elected official.
In Bali, the youth plan to work daily with other youth and members of non-governmental organizations from around the world to help shape the discussions between government delegations. They will continue the work begun at last year's talks in Nairobi, lobbying for change while also focusing media attention on the daily negotiations. The youth have prepared a number of policy briefings which they plan to use a starting point to discuss the various climate change issues with government delegates attending the conference.
Nutter and Maiorana have been involved in several environmental programs at COA, including Campus Committee on Sustainability, Carbon Neutrality Initiative, Maine Climate Summit and Step It Up. "I am really excited for this incredible opportunity to actively participate in international policy-making," says Maiorana. "As a team, we hope to build momentum for a strong international agreement on climate change, one which includes the United States."
Students don't need to head to Bali to make an impact. Dec. 8 is the International Climate Day of Action. Visit SustainUS.org for updates on this campaign, as well as ItsGettingHotInHere.org. This blog will provide updates on the negotiations and the youth response.
Photo: Lauren Nutter, kneeling on the right, with fellow youth delegates at the Commission of Sustainable Development in April of 2007.
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