A conference "COP in my City Islamabad" engaged the youth of the country in climate change debate and brush up their capacity towards climate change diplomacy. The conference was a youth-led event that simulates the UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP) on climate change to bring together states and stakeholders to discuss global climate change policy.
The second edition of "COP in my City Islamabad" was took place at the Higher Education Commission Islamabad on August 30-31 with support from the civil society coalition for climate change (CSCCC) and the Friedrich Nauman Foundation (FNF), said a press release issued on Saturday.
In the event, students took up roles of various major countries and state groups with an objective of negotiating global policies to limit global temperature rise to below two degrees celsius. The event has taken place in more than 80 countries of the world.
The two-day exercise was attended by students from more than 20 universities representing ICT, Sindh, KPK, GB, and Punjab. The students were given a unique opportunity to participate in climate negotiations. The students were also trained to facilitate similar sessions in their universities to take forward the climate agenda in their student bodies.
On the occasion, Farhan Anwar from FNF gave a presentation on Climate Efficient Urban Infrastructure and Sustainable Cities. The conference concluded with participants signing a Global Agreement based on their `pledges', representing different countries and blocs. Chairperson CSCCC Shafqat Kakakhel spoke at the closing ceremony. Iganacio Artaza, Country Director UNDP Deputy Head of the EU Delegation, Ms Anne Marchal, Minister/Deputy Head of European Union Delegation to Pakistan, and Syed Akif, former secretary climate change also addressed.