This past Saturday was a busy one for San Lorenzo High’s Earth Team. Several members of the team participated in a mock Climate Negotiations, modeled after the UN Climate Negotiations that are seeking to reduce global carbon emissions and limit warming. The team enjoyed the challenge of the negotiations and the friends they made along the way.
The group was sorted into 8 teams, the USA, the EU, other developed countries (including Japan, Australia, and others), China, India, other developing countries (including Nigeria, Brazil, Indonesia, and others), climate activists, and fossil fuel lobbyists. Representatives from the teams set targets for emissions reductions and fundraised for a global climate fund.
In the end, the group was unable to reach an agreement that would limit warming below 3.7 degrees Fahrenheit according to the C-ROADS simulator the group was using. “…[I]t’s very hard to come to an agreeing point because there’s always either a money problem or climate problem,” one San Lorenzo Intern reflected.
Despite failing in their goal, the group was glad to work with other Earth Team interns and learn about the tough negotiations policymakers face. The group eagerly awaits a second attempt at successful negotiations in the Spring.
More information about the activity can be found here.