Mock COP Campaigners Progress & National Governments Commitments

by Phoebe Hanson 

Last year, over 300 young people came together during Mock COP26, a youth climate conference spanning 6 continents, acting as delegates and drafting a legal treaty of policies they want to see implemented by national governments [1].

Since then, the Mock COP organising team have been busy coordinating a lobbying effort across the world, speaking to country leaders and asking them to implement the treaty. Below are some updates from Nigeria, Finland, Nepal and the United Kingdom (UK). 

1. Pledges made by the Nigerian Minister of State for Environment

In Nigeria, Mock COP campaigners have met with high-ranking officials to discuss the campaign aims, focusing on: climate education, biodiversity protection, and youth inclusion in decision-making. In June the campaigners met with Hon. Samuel Ifeanyi Onuigbo, a member of the Nigerian Parliament and the previous chairman of the Climate Change Committee. During this meeting the Nigerian Climate Change Bill and Mock COP Treaty was discussed [2].

The Nigerian Climate Change Bill seeks to provide a framework for the country to achieve low greenhouse gas emissions, inclusive green growth, and sustainable economic development, and features policies such as plans for climate adaptation and mitigation, that also appear in the Mock COP26 Treaty [3, 4]. On July 6 2021 the Nigeria Climate Change Bill was passed by the House of Representatives and was forwarded to the Senate, who, Mock COP hope, will also pass the bill [3].

Mock COP26 activist Kelo Uchendu met with the Minister of State for Environment Hon. Sharon Ikeazor, and told ClimaTalk “it was very successful: she directed her team to study the [Mock COP26 Treaty] carefully to know which ones already align with the activities of the Ministry and which they can work on immediately” [5] .

Ikeazor pledged to include youth within the negotiations team attending COP26 and to send six additional youth to the conference. She also made pledges to work with stakeholders to develop a skills-based curriculum to empower children to respond to the threat of climate change and to train teachers on climate adaptation teaching strategies and techniques at the pre-primary, primary, secondary and tertiary levels of education. Alongside this, Uchendu said, she pledged to make biodiversity a priority and to create an open channel to communicate with Mock COP26 youth.

2. Expanding of lobbying power in Finland

The Finnish Mock COP26 campaigners began their lobbying efforts by sending letters to the President, Prime Minister, and all governmental ministers. In the summer of 2021, because of this, they secured meetings with senior advisors and government officials.

Mock COP delegates from Finland have finalised a website, campaign plan, and translated the Mock COP26 Treaty into Finnish: they aim to ensure that all municipalities in their country are committed to promoting the Treaty goals in their operations and to build a safe future for the next generations [6].

3. Implementation of the Mock COP treaty in Nepal

Nepali delegates submitted the Mock COP26 Treaty to the Climate Change Management Division (CCMD) of Nepal at the beginning of 2021 [7]. 

Mock COP organiser, Shreya K.C., said that the CCMD appreciated the work and effort that went into the Treaty and that they will evaluate and then implement the aspects of the Treaty that are suitable for Nepal [7]. Shreya went on to say that Mock COP26 lobbyists “aim to engage with experts and local organisations, who will be a crucial support for us in lobbying and implementing the treaty” [7].

4. The UK Mock COP campaigners focus on education 

Mock COP26 organisers and UK delegates met with COP26 President-Designate Alok Sharma MP and the UK Lead Climate Negotiator, Archie Young, in April of 2020, discussing the Mock COP26 Treaty and the need for a strong youth presence to have success on COP26 outcomes [8].

UK-based Mock COP organiser Josh Tregale said “I would love to see a step up in ambition at COP26…I hope that through the continued effort and pressure applied by young people and other campaigns governments will feel compelled to act” [7].

The focus of UK campaigners has also been on climate education- a few months after their meeting with Alok Sharma, Mock COP representatives met with Minister Elizabeth Berridge, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the School System at the Department for Education, sharing their views on proposed plans to involve schools in the fight against climate change [7].

In a continuation of this education focus, Mock COP26 campaigners hope to hold an Education Minister’s Summit at COP26, convening both education and environment ministers to progress climate education conversations.

Looking to the Conference of the Parties (COP26)

Mock COP hopes to not only host their ministerial summit, but showcase ‘My Climate Reality’, a virtual reality project in which youth on the front lines of the climate crisis can share their stories with UN leaders during the November conference [9].

Check out our article earlier this year covering the what the Mock COP26 conference was and its Treaty asks.

References:

Featured Image Courtesy of Mock COP

[1] Mock COP26 press release (2020) https://www.mockcop.org/press-landing/ [Accessed 24 Aug 2021]
[2] Mock COP26, Youth in Action- Nigeria, Nepal, Canada (2021) https://www.mockcop.org/youth-in-action-nigeria-canada-nepal/ [Accessed 25 Aug 2021]
[3] EnviroNews Nigeria, “Ikeazor lauds passage of Climate Change Bill by House of Reps” (2021) https://www.environewsnigeria.com/ikeazor-lauds-passage-of-climate-change-bill-by-house-of-reps/ [Accessed 25 Aug 2021]
[4] Mock COP26 Treaty (2020) https://www.mockcop.org/treaty/ [Accessed 3 Sep 2021]
[5] Hanson, P. 2021, Interview with Kelo Uchendu, Stoke on Trent/ Nigeria.
[6] Mock COP26 Finland (2021) https://www.mockcop.fi/ [Accessed 25 Aug 2021]
[7] Mock COP26, Youth in Action- UK, Nepal (2021) https://www.mockcop.org/yia-uk-nepal/ [Accessed 26 Aug 2021]
[8] Mock COP26, Twitter (2021) https://twitter.com/MockCOP26/status/1384921213584257029 [Accessed 26 Aug 2021]
[9] Mock COP26, My Climate Reality (2021) https://www.mockcop.org/climate-reality/ [Accessed 26 Aug 2021]