POF students head to UN climate conference

(CNS): Three Caymanian teenagers from the local student activist group, Protect Our Future, are on their way to Spain to attend the 2019 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP25), which opened this week. The students are part of an International National Trust Organization (INTO) delegation drawing attention to the importance of heritage conservation in the face of climate climate. The National Trust for the Cayman Islands lobbied INTO for young people from island nations to be included in the conference.

Given that Cayman and other similar islands are likely to suffer some of the worst effects of climate change, INTO agreed, donating three passes for the young Cayman activists. Steff Mcdermot (UCCI), Connor Childs (CIS), and Olivia Zimmer (University of Tampa), all of whom have been involved in local environmental activism.

In preparation for the conference, the students met with CUC about the National Energy Policy, GreenTech about renewable energy, and the Department of Environment on the existing, though not yet implemented, climate change policy. The students are eager to connect with other young people from around the world, not least activist icon Greta Thunberg, and bring home their new-found knowledge to help the Cayman Islands prepare for the inevitable effects of climate change.

Zimmer said she was incredibly fortunate to represent Cayman in Madrid. “It is my goal to approach the conference with an open and optimistic mind in order to return home with knowledge and ideas that will allow Cayman to continue to grow in a cleaner and more sustainable way, subsequently contributing to the well-being of the world as a whole,” she said.

Childs said he was excited and honoured to be chosen. “I’m looking forward to learning what other countries around the world are doing to prepare for the effects of climate change so that I can bring that knowledge home to help Cayman prepare for future challenges.”

With 2019 on track to be the second or third hottest year on record and the last decade the hottest in recorded climate history, COP25 will be examining agriculture, finance, forests, technology, loss and damage, indigenous peoples, cities and oceans. But the main aim is to raise overall ambition with respect to the Paris Agreement, as many countries are not meeting their targets for emission reduction.

As the global climate emergency intensifies and carbon emissions continue to grow, governments have been urged to move forward quickly to stabilise greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, at a level that will slow dangerous human impact on the climate system, in a time frame that allows ecosystems to adapt and promotes sustainable development.

“If we stay on our current trajectory, it’s estimated that global temperatures could more than double by the end of this century,” Patricia Espinosa, the Executive Secretary of UN Climate Change said recently. “This will have enormous negative consequences for humanity and threaten our existence on this planet. We need an immediate and urgent change in trajectory.”

Give the importance of the UN climate change conferences, the National Trust said it was a great honour for the Caymanians students to be included in the INTO delegation to this United Nations conference. Several local businesses and individuals have stepped forward to sponsor the costs for the students, including CUC, The Flowers Group, The Lodge, and CIS teachers.

The Luijten family also plans to donate a large area of mangroves through Island Offsets, to be protected in perpetuity with the National Trust as compensation for the emissions associated with the travel.

Anyone who wishes to help with sponsorship for the students’ trip can email protectourfuturecayman@gmail.com