COP incredibly brings people together from every part of the world to include them in negotiations, panels, and events, but it is clear that not all groups receive the representation and support they deserve. We are still seeing the global powers dominate worldwide environmental action. Developing nations continue to experience the worst effects of climate change, but do not receive enough international help to adapt to and rebuild from the crisis. One interesting example I saw was in a panel on island nations including representatives from St. Helena and the Canary Islands. They spoke about being territories of wealthy, developed nations, increasing the total biodiversity of their countries. However, they are not receiving nearly enough support from their governments in facing the climate crisis. In addition, it is more difficult to receive international financial support from organizations such as the UN because these island nations are still part of wealthy countries.
Another issue I noticed is very little representation of LGBTQ+ people. Queer people are disproportionately affected by climate change, yet their voices did not hold a place at the table. I attended a negotiation on gender and climate, and the majority of the delegates attending were cisgender women, with no obvious queer representation. The gender and climate policy discussed at this negotiation did not mention the wide range of gender identities such as trans, two-spirit, and non-binary. For the past three years, COP has taken place in countries where gay marriage is not recognized by law and anti-gay discrimination is legal and rampant. It is a risk for queer people to enter these countries, and open discussions on LGBTQ+ rights may not be difficult. The one place where I saw the LGBTQ+ community discussed was in a feminist climate justice protest, where activists demanded rights for women, non-binary, and trans people.
In discussing with other conferences attendees, I’ve noticed similar criticisms about the lack of justice-based actions at COP29. Nevertheless, seeing the massive amount of people and power coming together for climate keeps me hopeful for growth towards a better future.
Kamala Chuss is a Marine Science major in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.