Seven Generations Ahead (SGA) has been sending high school students to the annual United Nations climate conference, also known as the Conference of Parties (COP) since 2019. Through SGA’s It’s Our Future (IOF) program, Chicago area high school students of all backgrounds are empowered to work together towards climate justice in their schools and communities, […]
COP27 Reflection: The Importance of Joy ...
COP27 youth delegate and Chicago Public School teacher, Greta Kringle (left) and IOF program consultant Rachel Rosner (right) finding a joyful moment at COP. By Rachel Rosner, IOF Program Consultant In a time of darkness, you don’t curse the darkness, you light a candle. -Al Gore As I reflect on our time in Sharm el Sheikh […]
COP27 Youth Dispatch: Change is Hard. Ch...
By Emmet Ebels Duggan, IOF Youth Delegate For those that attended the livestream, I confess that this dispatch is very similar to what I presented. The reasons for this include 1) this really is a good summary of my main takeaways from the week and 2) I’m way too tired to write something original right […]
COP27 Youth Dispatch: For the People, no...
Manolo Avalos, IOF Youth Delegate, with climate scientist Dr. Katharine Hayhoe. By Manolo Avalos, IOF Youth Delegate There seems to be this excitement in the room everywhere I go at COP 27 – even on the shuttle buses. I love hearing the many different languages, seeing everyone connecting and feeling the passion about climate change. […]
COP27 Final Dispatch: Recommitments and ...
The IOF crew gathering on their last night at COP27. By Gary Cuneen President Biden The It’s Our Future team was able to listen to President Joe Biden deliver his “good to be back” talk at COP27, emphasizing that the U.S. is recommitted to COP after former President Trump’s withdrawal and ready to take a […]
COP27 November 11th Dispatch: Natural ga...
Leading climate activist and writer, Bill McKibben, at a protest outside COP. By Gary Cuneen Natural Gas and Climate Goals With protests chanting loudly in the background admonishing high ghg emitting countries to pay developing nations for loss and damage as I write this post, scientists continue to remind that we have less than a […]
COP27 November 10th Dispatch: Challenges...
By Gary Cuneen I attended a high-level session with the ministers and managers of various countries on ghg emissions tracking and reporting (European Union, African nations, Israel, Belize, etc.). The issue of making strong enough country commitments to stay within 1.5 degrees Celsius is one thing, and another is getting accurate data from a diverse […]
COP27 Youth Dispatch: The Drive to Serve...
By Antonio Padilla, IOF Youth Delegate During the beginning of this adventure, I was running wild with eagerness, a spirit which hasn’t died down with every moment being eye opening. Just from the trip from Chicago to Sharm, beauty was ubiquitous. Within European skies, the clouds became their own kingdom with dunes that look like […]
COP27 November 9th Dispatch: Just Transi...
By Gary Cuneen Just Transition In the opening round table on just transition there was agreement on what just transition means moving forward, including interventions at the individual, sector and country levels: A) Individual: most vulnerable individuals should be protected during the transition: workers at risk of losing their job should be provided adapted social […]
COP27 Youth Dispatch: One Family, One Hu...
Victoria Evans introduces audience members in the Children & Youth Pavilion to IOF and Seven Generations Ahead By Victoria Evans, IOF Youth Delegate Between the sandy mountains of the Sinai Peninsula and the Red Sea, a new, golden sunrise reaches out to welcome 30,000 people to the second day of the United Nations Climate Change […]