My first COP was COP26. I went with the goal of understanding exactly what a Conference of the Parties or COP was. I was lucky because it took place in the city of Edinburgh, in Scotland, and I was already living in Wales, studying International Relations and Climate Change at Aberystwyth University.
I arrived at the COP with an activist and curious mindset, determined to understand that universe. Unfortunately, it was a bit difficult to interact with people, as it was one of the first international events to reopen after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a certain level of caution in the air, which made deep conversations and connections with other people harder. However, I remember talking to some amazing people, like Txai Suruí — one of the best people I met at COP26. She gave me advice that I carry with me to this day: “If you want to save the planet, you have to listen to Indigenous Peoples, because they have been on the frontlines defending the forests for a very long time. Without them, there would be even more deforestation.” This conversation impacted me so deeply that months later, I used her advice as the basis for a presentation at the International Youth Conference.
My second COP was COP27, held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt — my first time in an Arabic country. At this COP, I had my first experience attending negotiation rooms, which allowed me to understand how formal meetings work and how countries approach topics like the one I was following: loss and damage. I also had the chance to meet many people involved in the youth movement, as well as Brazilian politicians, scientists, and journalists. It was easier to comunicate as the COVID-19 was not an issue anymore.
It was during this COP, however, that I started to question my role as a young person studying international politics and climate change. At times, I asked myself why I was even there. Over time, I realized that many others felt the same. Many argued that COPs are not exactly designed for civil society or youth participation. Still, COP27 became a huge personal milestone for me. I started to understand the processes, connected with the Brazilian youth movement, and participated in the creation of CONJUCLIMA. Coalizão Nacional de Juventudes pelo Clima e Meio Ambiente (CONJUCLIMA) is a youth coalition that brings together diverse organizations and representatives, including Indigenous youth, youth from peripheral communities, activists, university students, and other actors who make up the youth sphere, and I am still part of it today.
The following year, the COP was held in Dubai. Like many young people, I faced financial difficulties and almost gave up participating in COP28. Normally, I work alongside my study and save a specific amount of money to attend. In the end, I managed to find affordable accommodation provided by the Youth Presidency of COP28, along with free transportation, which made my participation possible. This time I knew exactly why I was there: to speak for and about the youth. I participated in several panels where I had the opportunity to discuss CONJUCLIMA, colonialism, climate refugees, and also spoke about Brazil. These moments were incredible for me because I was finally sharing topics I am deeply passionate about. COP28 was also historic for another reason: it was the first time President Lula participated as Brazil’s elected president. He called a meeting with civil society, youth, Indigenous peoples, scientists, and Quilombola representatives. For me, it was the greatest opportunity of my life. I was there, in front of all Brazil’s ministers and so many representatives of Brazilian society. The Brazilian youth chosen to give the speech was Marcele Oliveira, who spoke about the importance of youth presence in decision-making and presented a decree that we, young people, drafted proposing the implementation of CONJUCLIMA. If at COP27 I was still insecure about my role, at COP28 I felt confident, with clear awareness of my mission: to understand youth needs and communicate their proposals.
The last COP that I attended was COP29, I went with the support of the University of Leeds and the Pristley Centre for Climate Futures, where I am studying my masters in Climate Futures (Climate Futures: Science, Society and Politics MSc). I only attended for 8 days, but it was the most intense in terms of activities I undertook. I was invited to various panels where I talked about my undergraduate thesis, which focuses on Youth Climate Councils and the CONJUCLIMA initiative. We also discussed the role of youth in building climate resilience, their influence on global decision-making, and their particular significance within the BRICS context. It was the COP where I had the most opportunities.
Today, I am proud to see how youth movements around the world are organised and active in these spaces. I recognise that I only got here because, in the early COPs, I faced my insecurities and sought to understand my place in this process. I also had incredible help and support from within the youth movement. Before continuing with my COP journey, I want to share one of these experiences. During my trip to COP29, I faced a serious issue at the airport in Turkey. My visa for Azerbaijan wasn’t downloading from the official website, and I missed my flight as a result. It was a very tough moment. However, in that difficult moment, I received incredible support from friends, whom I have to mention: Mariana Maraschin (Youth Climate Leaders), Mikaelle Farias (Palmares Lab), Alana Sales (Palmares Lab), Tabita Ayonã (Palmares Lab), Kimberly Silva (Cop das Baixadas), Alex Farias (Palmares Lab), and Rayndra Araújo (Palmares Lab). They stayed with me at the airport until the very last minute, helping me solve the problem. They supported me emotionally and helped me deal with the technical issues. Thanks to Marina and Mikaelle, who managed to contact the UNFCCC, I finally received my visa immediately. This problem was solved thanks to us, the youth, showing in practice how strong we are when we stand and work together in support of each other, even in the hard times.
As I write this, I am among the 25 young people being considered for the role of Youth Climate Champion (PYCC) for COP30. The most incredible part is that, among those 25, 16 on that list are personal friendships that I made throughout my COP journey. Even more inspiring is that we are organising ourselves to create a commission or council to support the future PYCC, showing how willing young people are to help and work collectively for a greater good. The COPs taught me what it means to be young and how to understand my role, both in society and within the COP spaces. Thanks to all of this, I wrote my undergraduate thesis on how youth organise around the world to create collectives such as councils, commissions, organisations, and coalitions. I decided to focus specifically on Youth Climate Councils (YCC) and how young people mobilise to influence climate policies — locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally. Youth are incredibly influential political actors: we shape public policies, impact education, and engage both the public and private sectors. We, as young people, possess great strength and have a significant impact. We are the present, not just the future, of our generation.
Every year, we bring change. We are the first to organise and to speak out against social problems. And in COP spaces, it’s no different: we organise ourselves, speak at panels, and use our voices across social media to influence other young people and the next generations that are rising up beside and behind us. It has never been easier to communicate about the climate crisis — and youth are doing it better than many climate scientists. We bring the COP experience closer to the public in a way that is accessible, relatable, and engaging. Being young means mobilising, influencing, and being the change. Of course, we face challenges. I have faced them — and I know I will face more. We often lack funding, are not heard enough, and don’t always have political influence. Still, despite numerous challenges, we are always there for one another. There’s always someone willing to help if needed. We are the youth climate activists.