From Brazil to Belfast – pupils hold their own COP30 event

As COP30 takes place in Brazil, more than 80 students are organizing their own climate discussions closer to home.

The COP30 climate simulation negotiations brought together students from 28 schools at Belfast Castle, where they represented countries, activists, lobbyists and journalists.

This year’s event was the first to bring together young people from both sides of the border, with four students from Dundalk Grammar School taking part.

Students negotiated international deals with each other and gave speeches, one of which was even interrupted by a simulated climate protest.

Blaithin, 17, and Niamh, 16, from St Catherine’s College Armagh, led the event, organized by the British Council, as UN secretaries-general.

Their mission was to bring all participants to an agreement on reducing greenhouse gas emissions, supporting developing countries and adapting to the effects of climate change.

Blaithin said that even though COP30 was taking place thousands of miles away, it was important to his generation.

“As a young person, knowing that we will face the impact of what is going to happen in the future, it is very important that we understand what is happening,” she said.

“We must live a life that will be controlled by what happens today.”

Niamh believes more could be done to educate young people about climate change.

“Social media is a big part of young people’s lives, so I think if we used it more for climate action, it would really influence young people today,” she said.

Jude, 17, from Shimna Integrated College in Newcastle, said discussing climate change with young people from across Northern Ireland was a “great experience”, but it was business people who should be talking about it more.

“They are the ones doing the most damage, and they need to understand that if they continue to destroy the planet, they will no longer have customers.”

He fears that due to the progressive effects of climate change, “the average person will realize that we need to change when floods knock on their door and droughts dry up their water supplies.”

Lily-May, 18, also from Shimna Integrated College, said that while it was “enlightening” to meet other young people passionate about climate, most of her peers are “not really engaged”.

“I think people just don’t want to take the extra step or make the extra effort to be more environmentally friendly, even just using a different trash can.”

Colm McGivern, British Council director for Northern Ireland, said: “It’s wonderful to give young people the opportunity to think about one of the major international challenges facing the planet.

“It’s really interesting to see how they grasped the arguments and went into detail, which is crucial if we want to convince people of the importance of tackling climate change.”

Environment Minister Andrew Muir, who gave a speech at the event, said he was “inspired and uplifted” to hear young people engage in climate action.

“To be honest, the current situation stands in stark contrast to some of the political events of recent weeks in Northern Ireland.

“There is a collective will, there is hope, there is positivity, and that is why I am committed to working with young people on this issue.”

Kayla, from Coleraine Grammar, who represented the United States, said she believed the minister’s presence at the event “shows his commitment”.

“Obviously climate change is a major issue for all young people, but I don’t think we’re doing much about it,” she said.

“Coming here to the event, you realize how much impact everyday things have, how much countries are not doing and how much they could be doing.

“In Northern Ireland, not everyone agrees on everything, but the parties must work together and with Westminster to designate who does what in different parts of the UK.”