Regional Conference of Youth Europe 2024 Experience

I’m a part of the team that is organizing LCOY in Ukraine for the first time this year, so thanks to RCOY Europe 2024 I was able to understand what steps I need to take to make the conference effective and meaningful in the context of my country. Thanks to the specific workshops and conversations with YOUNGO representatives, the organizing team and other delegates who have experience in organizing LCOY, I got a lot of valuable advice and gained more confidence.

Viktoriia Barylovska

16, Ukraine

While I was familiar with most topics discussed at the RCOY Europe workshops, the conference illuminated the profound depth of the concepts discussed. I gained insight into how these ideas impact us in real life and how they can be integrated to address climate change effectively. Additionally, the conference underscored the importance of considering social dimensions, particularly the needs of vulnerable populations. Workshops addressing issues like the ‘White Savior Complex’ broadened my perspective, emphasizing the necessity of viewing environmental solutions through a comprehensive and inclusive lens. This approach is crucial for creating meaningful and equitable change. Furthermore, it taught me how even small actions can generate significant societal impacts. The conference brought together highly motivated young delegates, all eager to contribute to environmental protection and sustainability. The three-day session was eye-opening, offering me a clearer understanding of how I can actively participate in driving positive change.

Lekshmipriya Nair

22, Germany

During my time at RCOY, Diana Garlytska’s workshop provided insights into reshaping your career. She emphasized that transitioning to a completely different career path should not be viewed as a failure, but rather as a natural evolution in your lifelong journey. By reframing your perspective, you can view your career as dynamic lifepath that evolve over time. This mindset shift allows for greater flexibility and openness to exploring new opportunities aligned with your passions and values, ultimately leading to more fulfilling and sustainable career choices. Also, engaging in discussions with delegates from all around the world further highlighted the common challenges faced in choosing greener career paths. We also explored the gap between university and your first job, and how societal pressures often push us towards corporate, high-paying jobs with less emphasis on environmental sustainability. It was a truly enriching experience that emphasized the importance of embracing change and pursuing careers that align with your values.

Maxime Zadel

29, Netherlands

There was a huge variety of things to be learned at RCOY as the climate crisis is such a complex topic. I learned about the significance of conflict of interest in climate negotiations. For example, the increase in Carbon Capture and Storage which seems to be a popular buzz word these days is almost exclusively driven by fossil fuel industries. It is often used as a justification to continue operations instead of phasing out fossil fuels. This mirrors the tactics used by big tobacco to mislead the public. Just as the tobacco industry’s interests conflict with public health policies, fossil fuel interests conflict with climate policies. Thus, similar policies could address conflicts of interest in climate negotiations. Developing a framework for managing the conflicts of interest will be crucial in the success of future climate negotiations.

Greta Kämper

24, Germany & Austria

I learned at the workshop on CO₂ Emissions that more awareness needs to be raised on the amount of CO₂ emitted from our simple day to day activities depending on the tools we use, household appliances, where in the world they are manufactured etc. During this interactive session, it was found that not only are many people unaware, but there are also (perhaps even more) misconceptions on CO₂ emissions. Overall, RCOY was an immensely educative experience and what stood out was the realization that we need to go out of our bubbles, this underscored the importance of community engagement and reinforced my belief that we all have the power to make a difference.

Patricia M. Longwani

25, Zambia & Luxembourg

While I try to stay quite informed when it comes to modern day topics such as climate change, I have no qualms admitting that I felt a rather lack of knowledge when it came to climate change policies between countries, specifically my own as well. I had realised that I had a much more general overview of the topic, and while nobody shamed me or made me feel judged, quite the opposite in fact, I still took it upon myself to erase that absence in my knowledge. I also learned much valuable information in the workshops when it came to conflict of interest caused by fossil fuel entanglement with the UNFCCC or even current policies in Eastern European Countries when it comes to climate change.

Moira Lako

18, Albania

It was great to see collective group of youth from across the region who are engaged in the climate action space at different capacities. This signals that we are not alone in our climate advocacy journey; there is a collective community through which we can support each other’s works. It was inspiring to hear from each of them on what they were doing and how they see about global engagements in the climate changes and as youth how can we be different.

John Paul Jose

27, Belgium