Youth voices for climate action

Two Year 4 Science students, LAW Li Zhe and LIEW Hao Yu, were part of the inaugural NUS youth delegation to the largest gathering in United Nations’ climate change history in Dubai in November 2023, one which put young people at the centre of climate diplomacy like never before.

Li Zhe, who majors in Environmental Studies and Data Analytics and minors in Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and Economics, and Hao Yu, who reads double majors in Life Sciences and Management, had the unique opportunity to witness firsthand climate policymaking in action, panel discussions and country pavilion events, and to meet like-minded young people from around the world advocating for climate solutions.

Li Zhe says, “I gained a better understanding of the complexities of the positions of states as well as their various groups. Here, I saw regional concerns being reflected, such as the small islands advocating for more climate finance to support their climate resilience plans.”

For him, a front seat to the action - where contentious issues were debated right to the end of the conference - was a true eye-opener into the complexities of climate negotiations and the challenges involved in consensus-building.

Hao Yu came away with a renewed sense of urgency “to do my very best to fight for our dying planet” after engaging with youths from Indonesia and Malaysia who lost their families or homes to climate disasters.

He says, “I strongly believe that we need to celebrate the small wins and never lose hope. Every step of progress, however seemingly insignificant, is progress, nevertheless.”

The run-up to the event saw both of them delving more deeply into various negotiation topics at COP28, as well as building up understanding of COP progress and its significance to local contexts. They also attended pre-COP events organised by NUS’ Centre for Nature-based Climate Solutions (CNCS), including a public lecture with NUS President Prof TAN Eng Chye, a high-level climate symposium featuring a dialogue with key decision-makers in the sustainability field and a series of climate policy talks presented by CNCS.

Check our event snapshots here!