What Surprised Me at COP

Here's what surprised me about the conference

I don't mean to complain or put down the conference but some things at the conference really shocked me. One of those things was how privileged I felt being there.

One of the focuses of this year's COP was indigenous peoples and island nations, people who are being directly affected by climate change. Some of the groups and individuals have even become climate refugees: people who have been forced to relocate due to climate change. As I listened to people talk about the possibility of being forced to relocate I was horrified. I felt privileged to be sitting there a high school student from the United States (one of the biggest emitters of greenhouse gasses) listening to some who lived within the direct impacts an issue my country had helped create.

As a Minnesotan I don't see the direct impacts of climate change in my everyday life. I had come to the COP as a student and an observer in hopes of learning more about the United Nations and Climate Change. But I felt weird sitting in a brand new high class building putting my days at COP on my Snapchat story. I'm only a high school student I thought as I was sitting next to some research biologist or prime minister.

I'm not gonna lie, for two weeks I felt absolutely spoiled. The exhibits often gave us free stuff such as portable chargers and reusable bags. At the US climate action center we were served free coffee and drinks all day and we were given free desserts and appetizers at night after the sessions had ended.

The conference really taught me to appreciate the things I have and the opportunities that have been given to me. I was so fortunate to have been among so many intelligent talented voices.