This blog first appeared on dontgoagainsttheflo.
In Paris the recent attacks are on the forefront of everyone’s minds, the default topic of conversation, source of many jokes, and practically the sole news item. I arrived on Saturday, a week after the attacks. A group of 10 young people sat in the small Parisian apartment, around a table with beers. This was a scene that could have been from anywhere in the world. Except everyone knew someone who had lost a friend or family member in the attacks.
If there's one thing I've noticed, it's that Kiwi delegates from AYLI at COP and the ADP seem to punch well above their weight when it comes to getting involved. Yeah, we're pretty awesome.
After only one day of ADP, the co-chairs of the Bonn session decided that observers would no longer be allowed into the majority of the negotiations taking place in Spin Off Groups (SOGs). Although this stance was challenged by the developing country blocks, Japan raised an objection and twitter tag #ADP2 started going crazy.
Today, our ADP 2.11 delegate Ben Abraham was published in ECO, the Climate Action Network newsletter at the UN climate negotiations. He shared his thoughts on this Bonn session's exclusion of civil society. Read the full text of his satirical piece below - and see the original article here.
Last year's COP experience in Peru was a rollercoaster of emotions. I came away much more informed and aware of political landscape but I also came away with a sense of frustration and pessimism about the future of our planet.
The first day of negotiations for the Paris Agreement are almost at an end, just a few more hours to go. I am in Bonn, Germany. The sun is shining, its 30 degrees and the World Conference Centre is swanky. Things are going smoothly, apart from the fact that I am the only real New Zealander here from civil society.
Today I am off to the Global Youth Consultation (GYC) for the World Humanitarian Summit in Doha. It’s quite the mouthful, but something that I am very proud to be saying.
Applications have almost closed to join AYLI's delegation to COP21 in Paris! There's still time to submit your application. So If you are still trying to make up your mind then have a quick look over these photos I took at last years conference in Lima, Peru. Then hurry and send in your application before the end of the day!
