USP students attend global climate talks

15 November, UNFCCC, Warsaw Poland - Pacific island university students are walking the halls of the Stadium Narodowy in Poland, venue of the 19th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention on Climate Change.

The seven students are part of the Climate Change Programme at the University of the South Pacific (USP) and are attending the UN climate talks as members of the Nauru delegation. Nauru is the Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS).

This is the second year this activity is taking place, last year five students were selected to attend the 18th Conference of the Parties in Doha, Qatar.

"We're trying to build the capacity of our students to become climate change negotiators through the UNFCCC process," said Professor Elisabeth Holland, the Director of the Pacific Centre for Environment and Sustainable Development of the USP.


"The students have gained confidence, the ability to synthesise information quickly, they've gained negotiation skills as well as a sense of being part of a large network of people addressing climate change. We see the governments of our representative countries are very enthusiastic of the participation of students and are beginning to integrate them in their own strategies."

A plan of work for the students is developed by AOSIS with students being assigned to different negotiation threads. For several of the team this is their second UN climate change conference, they were part of the activity last year and have been selected to provide guidance and act as mentors to the students attending for the first time.

"I think it's important to get that exposure and am really thankful for the opportunity to be here," said Ms. Andra Whiteside of Fiji, she is attending the UN climate change negotiations for the first time.

"We did a few training courses and workshops in terms of negotiations and how these things will be carried out before we came and that was good. For me I am finding it really interesting to see the negotiation text being drafted and the different points of views of the various countries."


Ms. Fetalai Gagaeolo of Samoa is attending her second climate change talks, having been selected to be part of the USP students attending last year.

"There is too much talking, I'd like to see more input and concrete solutions. I'm following the Loss and Damage negotiations and it's interesting to see the different responses from the different parties. This is a really good learning experience."

Ms. Diana Salili of Vanuatu is also attending her second UNFCCC Conference of the Parties, she too was also in Doha, Qatar last year.

"I'm definitely more confident and have a better understanding of whats happening this time. I'm really enjoying it especially seeing the use of language and how every full stop, comma and every little thing matters."

According to Dr. Holland, this project activity is funded by AusAID.

"We are very grateful to the European Union and AusAID for the establishment of the climate change programme as its been critical, we have offered a number of scholarships and now have over 150 students enrolled in our programme. It's been wonderful to have that opportunity to serve the regional needs."

The UNFCCC COP19 is held in Warsaw, Poland from 11 to 22 November.