Youth Delegate Ishmael Nicholson Participates in COP28

COP28 continued today in Dubai. To enhance the engagement of youth from underrepresented communities in shaping climate policies, the COP28 Presidency launched the International Youth Climate Delegate Program. This initiative involves the selection of one hundred delegates to actively participate in the COP process, with a particular emphasis on candidates from Least Developed Countries (LDCs), Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Indigenous Peoples, and various minority groups globally. Belizean Ishmael Nicholson is part of the initiative and is currently at COP28 following key negotiations. We caught up with Nicholson at EXPO City in Dubai where he told us about the work he has been doing.

Ishmael Nicholson

Ishmael Nicholson, Youth Climate Delegate, IYCDP

“To be able to in the closed doors as an observer in some of the negotiation panels using my training that I’ve been trained by the IYCDP team, to get the experience and network with my fellow colleagues especially those I’ve worked with online and I am just meeting them for the first time here at COP. Youths are not only victims of climate change. Youths are climate agents, agents of actions. They are not only there to sit back there, the ones who are vulnerable and they should be at decision table at all times. That is why COP is a platform that youth should be at all times and should be inclusive to all youths, indigenous youths. Especially, those from the most vulnerable states, from the Global South. I have been following the loss and damages negotiations. One of my other main areas is actually youth, children education and skills. That’s actually my thematic day. I am also working with close joint group to establish a joint work force. We are already working on COP30 which is going to be in Brazil. We are working to establish taskforce that will help have youths be included in the process in Brazil for COP30.”