The following blogs are reflections on the group’s experiences in Marrakech and at COP22:

Message from COP22: KEEP CALM and Keep Fighting the Good Fight! Oksan Bayulgen and Rich Miller

Signs of Hope Throughout Marrakech Brooke Siegel

A Remarkable Learning and Cultural Experience Genevieve Nuttall

There is Hope in the Human Spirit Margaux Verlaque-Amara

Back to Nature, Where it All Started Wyatt Million

Message from COP22: KEEP CALM and Keep Fighting the Good Fight!

Oksan Bayulgen, Associate Professor of Political Science, Faculty Director of UConn’s Global House

Rich Miller, Director, UConn Office of Environmental Policy & Sustainability

Only a few days after the historical elections in the United States, we set out to North Africa to attend the U.N.’s international conference on climate change. COP22 was supposed to be a relatively straightforward, low-key conference a year after the monumental Paris Agreement had emerged from COP21. The goal was to take stock of the progress each country has made so far and flesh out the remaining challenges in the implementation of the national pledges.

Instead, this goal was overshadowed by the unexpected turn of events in the U.S., with the improbable election of Donald J. Trump to the presidency. Given his climate change denialism and explicit rejection of the Paris Agreement (in addition to many other statements in favor of the fossil fuel industry), there were genuine concerns that the hard fought achievements of the previous year would be reversed with a possible withdrawal of the U.S. from the historical agreement. When we landed in Marrakesh, Morocco, we found ourselves right in the middle of that pervasive sense of doom and gloom.

To be honest, on our first day in Marrakesh, we were very pessimistic as well.  Based on our combined years of experience, whether it’s conducting research and teaching various classes on the politics of energy, or working to develop environmental and sustainability programs at UConn or in the corporate world, we have come to appreciate the critical importance of leadership and an institutional balance of power in designing and implementing environmentally friendly policies. Even in a democracy like that of the U.S., where there are strong checks and balances, a president singlehandedly has a lot of power to affect and change the course of policy in the years to come. It would be naïve and uninformed to assume that the path of progress that was set by an outgoing president could not be reversed by a new president.

Yet, as the week went by, seeing and interacting with some of the passionate and committed “foot soldiers” of this environmental movement, we started to relax and see the glass half full. There are three main reasons why we are more hopeful now.

First of all, even though anti-globalization forces have gained ground and popularity in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world in recent years, it is clear to us that COPs in many ways represent the best of globalization. They prove that there are no national boundaries, no walls, and no cultural differences when it comes to the aspiration to find solutions to a truly global challenge such as climate change. These conferences are the best and most hopeful responses to the isolationist and xenophobic calls that we have come to see in many countries around the world. They reinforce the belief that we are not alone in this world in our fight against dark forces that want to reverse progress.

[COPs] prove that there are no national boundaries, no walls, and no cultural differences when it comes to the aspiration to find solutions to a truly global challenge such as climate change.

Secondly, the fact that COP22 took place in Morocco, a developing country with many economic challenges of its own, in and of itself, sends a hopeful message. One of the themes of this meeting was the synergy between sustainable development goals and climate action. The clear message was that policies to fight climate change could be successful only if they also provide economic and social benefits to communities and respect the rights of vulnerable, marginalized groups. Or put differently, countries do not need to choose between economic development and the environment. It is not a zero sum game. Concerns about economic insecurity need not trump anxieties about environmental insecurity. Sustainability requires us to think of these two as complementary and as reinforcing each other. To us, the location of this COP and the excitement and commitment of so many delegations from developing countries, especially in Africa, proved unequivocally that the momentum of Paris cannot be reversed. With or without the U.S., the Paris accord will live on.

Finally, in the course of a week, we witnessed among our students (as well as millions more in the U.S. and around the world) the transformation of the post-election blues into a fresh determination and commitment to keep fighting.  We think (and hope) that this setback will motivate and empower younger generations to participate in the decision-making processes at local and national levels, in the plethora of ways that our democracy offers.  And, as demonstrated by dozens of students, from Morocco’s Cadi Ayyad University, UConn and several other American universities, who spoke at the higher education networking event, Colleges United For Climate Action, there are more that unite than divide the younger generations around the world. Climate change is the defining and unifying challenge of our times and the millennials are all in!

Overall, this was an amazing trip! Beautiful Marrakesh was the backdrop to the great new friendships we formed and the new networks we established. This trip also proved, once again, the importance of experiential learning. Outside the traditional classroom setting, we were able to see, breathe, feel climate change and learn about the innovations, and policy solutions that real bureaucrats, corporations, and civil society organizations bring to the table. Last year in Paris and again this year in Marrakesh, history was made and we were there to witness it!

UConn needs to continue this participation in future COPs, and other colleges and universities should engage as well. Now more than ever, higher education needs to lead by example on the myriad science, policy and human rights issues surrounding climate change. We are all better for having attended this conference.

And now… we need to keep calm and keep fighting the good fight!

Signs of Hope Throughout Marrakech

Brooke Siegel, Student, Environmental Studies, Urban and Community Studies

The second that we boarded our Royal Air Maroc flight to Morocco, the COP22 logo was plastered everywhere we looked: painted on the fuselage of the airplane and printed on every seat cover. When we got off of the flight in the Marrakesh airport we could not walk more than 10 feet without seeing a COP22 sign, logo, or environmental message. Many people stopped us in the airport to ask if we were attending the conference as well. In the city itself, COP22 was carved into the landscaped gardens and a sign was hanging from every streetlight, including a call for climate action in multiple languages.

To me, this was both exciting and refreshing to see that the importance of the environment was being advertised and publicly displayed for all to see. Even with these signs everywhere, I found myself skeptical that the local people of Marrakesh actually understood the significance of COP22, apart from bringing big-spending tourists into this very entrepreneurial city.  Maybe they were aware that it was an environmental conference and that we were talking about the importance of mitigating climate change. But what does that really mean to them? Did they understand the implications of a warming climate on their daily lives?

On the second day of the trip, my questions were partially answered at the Green Zone and later, after visiting the market. After lots of searching and negotiating, I picked out a lantern to purchase from a local vendor. The man I purchased it from saw that I had a bag already hanging from my arms and said in broken English something like, “Put the lantern in the bag you already have. We must recycle to help the environment.” For me, this was a very eye-opening and refreshing experience. It made me extremely hopeful that COP 22’s message is spreading beyond the walls of the conference. Maybe this was just an isolated experience and the vast majority do not fully understand climate change, but it is a vision of hope for our future and the future of our planet. I am optimistic that it is not just the formally educated individuals attending this conference who understand the importance of saving the planet for future generations.

A Remarkable Learning and Cultural Experience

Genevieve Nuttall, Student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Conservation Biology and Biodiversity

The COP22 experience was remarkable. Even though we were in Marrakech for only five days, we met many interesting people, saw many wonderful sights, and listened to many inspiring and informed presentations on climate change issues from international delegates.

At the COP conference, I had the opportunity to learn about a variety of topics, such as sustainable agriculture, electric vehicles, and women’s rights, and how climate change impacts these subjects. It was interesting to interact and learn from people who came to COP22 from distant continents, like nations as far apart as Costa Rica and Kenya or the US and Senegal. Despite the differences in backgrounds and perspectives, it was reassuring to know that so many people around the world are united in the search for common solutions to climate-related problems, and passionate about preserving a sustainable future.

COP22 was held in Marrakech, a bustling and exciting city in the North African country of Morocco. We explored the city on the first night and had the chance to watch painters create a mural portraying climate change and a group performing traditional Moroccan dances. I enjoyed the cultural experience of our tour through the city, especially the food, which included some incredible vegetable dishes, olives, and tea.

I loved learning about and discussing the problems and solutions related to climate change, and I’m optimistic about the future of our Earth after listening to all of the great ideas posed by delegates at the COP. Although combatting climate change will be difficult, I left Marrakech knowing we have the commitment and tools to make it possible.

The COP22 conference was spectacular, and I am so happy that I was able to have this experience. In the second half of the week, I attended panel sessions on biodiversity, sustainable agriculture, and food security. I really enjoyed all of the talks on agriculture and this topic inspired me to continue studying conservation biology and its integration into agriculture. I found that the delegates speaking about farming were the most passionate and made the audience excited and hopeful. I was a little disappointed by the biodiversity speakers because they seemed disinterested when they spoke and didn’t emphasize the importance of biodiversity and how it goes hand in hand with climate change. But the conference as a whole was incredible. I spread the word about the conference using social media such as Facebook and Twitter, and people seemed excited to learn about what was happening in Marrakech.

I loved meeting the students from the University of Cadi Ayyad in Marrakech, during the networking event that UConn helped plan and co-sponsored with our Moroccan hosts. It was inspiring to listen to their ideas and see their innovations to promote the sustainability of their University community. We were able to exchange contact information to keep in touch in the future, which was exciting.

My favorite activity other than the COP itself was visiting the Atlas Mountains. From our hotel, we were able to see the silhouette of the mountains, and I am so glad we were able to drive to them and hike up to a waterfall that fed a river that ran through the communities in the mountains. At the top of the mountain, we had mint tea at a little café right next to the waterfall. This experience was a great way to end such an amazing trip to Morocco.

There is Hope in the Human Spirit

Margaux Verlaque-Amara, Student, Molecular and Cell Biology

It started with the security guard patrolling the TSA line. He slowly walked down the line, smiling and greeting those as he went. When he stopped at us, we exchanged greetings. We got to talking, and I asked him if he had ever been to Morocco. He said no, but mentioned he would love to someday. I told him that our group was attending the UN Climate Conference, and his face instantly lit up. He said to me, “I can’t believe that some people can deny that climate change exists, young people like you have to go out there and make some change, for us, our kids, our grandkids.” In the first leg of our long trip to COP22, I had already encountered this profound idea that the safety of our Earth knows no borders, but still, some are not compelled to believe or pay attention to the rapidly changing world around them. Why is that? That’s a complex idea, one wrapped up in politics and social circles and privilege. But what is even more interesting to me is that one of the first interactions outside of the sphere of my fellow classmates and professors was with a security guard, and he had a felt the same gravity and urgency we all felt as we were embarking on this journey.

The topic of climate change is not just for liberal ideological spheres, it is for everyone simply because it affects everyone in some capacity. Everyone should engage in these conversations whenever they are able to. Especially in the current political climate that is divided between the advocates and the skeptics, engagement in thoughtful and evidence-based conversation is crucial. I responded to the guard by saying, “Well you can be a change too, ya know?” By just urging others to pay attention to your environment, I said, you are already doing more than a lot of other people. He agreed with a smile on his face, and told us good luck as we continued on down the line.

Speaking of political climate, we are definitely in the depths of a drastic shift in political influence in the United States. And, for most of my fellow classmates and professors, we don’t see the change as a positive one. We can argue about how to best improve healthcare insurance, or how to reform the tax system, but we cannot get around the fact that our Earth is changing very rapidly, and we cannot dispute the overwhelming evidence that shows humans are contributing to this. But the topic of climate change has been devalued and rejected throughout the entirety of our recent presidential election in favor of possible economic prosperity and job security (although sustainability-related industries can easily support a prosperous economy, but that’s a different discussion).

I met a man deep in the famous Marrakech markets who spoke to me about the election. A small group of us were wandering the tightly packed stalls filled to the brim with the best of Moroccan goods when we met. As we browsed along a wall of leather bags, the man and I got to talking and he asked what we thought of our newly elected president, Donald Trump. Trump is an open climate change skeptic, so, along with his other disagreeable rhetoric and behavior, the COP22 group definitely has reason to be concerned for the future of our climate policies. However, the man in the market, who is a Brazilian living in Canada, had his own opinion about our new leader. He said, “Well, I know he is racist and not the best qualified, but I have a strong feeling he will do good things for the middle class which is so bad right now.” I was absolutely intrigued because it seemed that his stance had nothing to do with the facts or policy of Trump’s campaign, but it had everything to do with this idea of personal financial gain. I changed the topic and said, “What about the fact that he doesn’t believe in climate change?” This did not seem to dissuade the man in the market at all, as he waved his hand in the air and said that kind of thing does not matter. HUH?! I responded with a few one liners that I’ve perfected since the election but, to my dismay, the man was not budging. Now I don’t know this man’s whole back story, but what I got from him was this: many people will go to any length to see change in personal status, no matter what other baggage their vote has. And this makes sense if you think about it – we are all trying to survive out here. But what is surviving if you are stepping over other types of survival in the process?

This man didn’t even vote in the U.S. election, but in the midst of growing global populism, he gets lost in the jibber-jabber of false promises and exploited ideas, a problem many Americans had at the polling station this past election. Unfortunately, climate change policy got lost somewhere along the line because a personal connection was not made for most people. What will it take to make that personal connection with the threat of climate change? How is it too abstract for some folks like the Brazilian-Canadian, yet an imminent threat to a random TSA security guard? Maybe exposure, maybe privilege, maybe a different set of values.

So here we are, a bunch of American students in Morocco, trying to make sense of how our values and hopes collide with the rest of the world’s. But at our cores, we humans are not all that different from one another no matter where we are from; and if this trip taught me anything, it is that exactly. We try our best to make the right choices for ourselves and the people we love. For instance, Muhammad, the man who served us delicious tagine and warm bread on the cramped city street, lives his life day to day and makes enough to sustain what he already has. He talked about Morocco’s corrupt health system where if you can’t pay, you die, and how important it is to just keep working no matter what. And Salema, the belly dancer we met in the desert restaurant, who left an abusive marriage and lives to support herself in a world where it is difficult for a woman to make it on her own. These are the people of the world, they are trying to do their best with the tools they are given, and it leaves little room for the nuance that we American college students have the luxury of contemplating. Where does climate change advocacy fit into the life of the average human who has to worry about a multitude of other things just in order to survive?

I still have so many questions floating around my mind after this trip. But if there is one thing I know now, it is that I believe in the power of the human spirit. I believe there is strength in knowledge and urgency, and if the right voices were talking, humans would come together to change our world. Of course it is complicated, and there are powerful and corrupt leaders who put personal gain over the lives of others. Every structure that is built into our daily lives need to see a change, the table needs to be restructured so the common person’s voice is heard. Yet, there is strength in numbers, and if you give people the right political and industry support, the right knowledge, and the right incentive, the threat of climate change can be at the forefront of their lives, and we can all move towards a better world together.

Back to Nature, Where it All Started

Wyatt Million, Student, Biological Sciences

The last UConn@COP22 activity of our trip to Morocco brought me back to where my passion for the environment all began. The final afternoon and evening in Marrakesh were spent on an excursion to the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, which rise out of the desert terrain about an hour south of the city limits. After the driver parked our shuttle bus cliff side, rather precariously for some in our group, we met Mohamed, our enthusiastic mountain guide. He expertly led us on a walk that turned into a hike, that eventually turned into a climb, with several stops along the way to rest, admire the beautiful vistas, and purchase various local items.

We started by crossing a river and then weaved our way through shops and homes to follow a small stream up the side of a mountain. The small stream started to become more powerful but, as the elevation increased, so did the difficulty of the terrain, causing the group to hop across rocks and scamper up boulders. Nearing the top, we encountered the first waterfall, an impressive rush of crystal clear water down a 20-foot boulder, but it was relatively small compared to what was above.

After more hiking and climbing, we arrived at the highest waterfall, at least 50-feet tall, pouring glacial water down into a shallow, clear pool. I caught myself hypnotized by the power and sound of the falling water, and as I turned to look at the mountain range behind us, a type of euphoria sent me back to my childhood. As I waded into the cold water and stood beneath the falls for a few seconds, it literally took my breath away.

For me, the outdoors has been more than a place for hiking or fresh air or taking cool pictures, it is more of a home. The environment has been a vital part of my life growing up, so being in such a beautiful place took me back to when I first realized that I would do anything to protect it. Because I was so affected by the outdoors as a child, my enthusiasm has been growing nearly 15 years and has been focused now on protecting ecosystems and conserving natural resources. COP22 provided me with more direction for my future but the Atlas Mountains reignited my most basic connection with the environment.

My access to the outdoors as a child led to my love of nature and, later, to my involvement in environmental issues and decision to pursue a degree in the Biological Sciences at UConn. And I believe this experiential learning could reign true for future generations. Providing children with the opportunity to experience first-hand the effects of climate change will do more than just explaining the science to them. It is one thing to understand climate change and another to care enough to do something about it. Being in those mountains reminded me of exploring in my backyard and family vacations to the Adirondack Mountains. It reminded me of what is at stake in the fight against climate change.

As a contingent of UConn students, faculty, and staff arrived at COP22 in Marrakech, Morocco, it became clear that, although they were more than 3,000 miles away from home, the uncertainty and concern surrounding the recent U.S. election were being felt just as strongly. The following blog posts were submitted by members of the UConn contingent, detailing their experiences at COP22 in light of the recent election:

The World Without U.S. Mark Urban

An Uncertain Future Ben Breslau

UCONN@COP22: The Trump Opener Kristin Burnham

Hoping for a Better Donald: What the 2016 Election Means for Climate Change Policy Klara Reisch

Since these blogs were written, President-elect Trump has moderated his position, and stated that he is “open-minded” about the Paris Agreement; however, Myron Ebell, a vocal climate change skeptic for many years, remains in charge of the President-elect’s EPA transition team.

The World Without U.S.

Mark Urban, Biologist, Associate Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

“Maybe it won’t be so bad,” a taxi driver said as he weaved through the tangle of motorbikes, pedestrians, donkey carts, and buses clogging the streets of Marrakech, Morocco. I flinched when he slammed on the brakes or accelerated through precarious gaps in the traffic. He was talking about U.S. President-elect Trump. He was trying to make me feel better even though the world was a very different place than it was just one year ago.

Last December, the world met in Paris for the 21^st meeting of climate delegates to the United Nations, or COP21 for short. The world agreed to try to limit global warming to 1.5 °C above preindustrial temperatures. The Paris Climate Agreement exceeded expectations. The world and the UConn delegation celebrated in the streets of Paris. Some of our faculty and staff cried tears of joy when they heard the news.

Last year’s COP21 was one of shining optimism. This year’s COP22 in Marrakech was one of gritty determination. If the Paris COP was a flute of French champagne, the Marrakech COP was a can of warm Casablanca beer.

Already the promises of just a year ago are fading. The world hasn’t figured out how to implement the lofty goals of the Paris accords. Whereas President Obama helped lead the fight against climate change, his successor threatens to withdraw.

Against this backdrop, our second UConn delegation of undergraduates, faculty, and staff flew to the highlands of central Morocco. Marrakech, an ancient center for African trade, religion, and culture, provides the nexus for protecting all those things from a changing climate. Just beyond the ancient Jemaa el-Fnaa outdoor bazaar and outside the high pink walls of the Kasbah, the massive white tents of COP22 rose from a flat field. Out front, flagpoles of the world skewered the big African sky.

Like in Paris, we watched panel discussions about everything from the economy of climate adaptation to the sustainable development of Africa. We visited the government and corporate solutions tent, where new electric cars and photovoltaic cells shimmered under LED lights. We visited the stands of non-profit groups, cities, countries, and regions from around the world to hear about their climate solutions. The Nordic countries’ booth was expansive, white and clean. The African section was bright and welcoming. The Dutch offered a full bar, proudly extolling the ‘Dutch Approach.’ But I never found the US booth.

The US did take the center stage at the conference when US Secretary of State John Kerry delivered an impassioned argument for continuing to address climate change. Not managing to talk our way into the tight security of the UN blue zone, a group of us watched Kerry’s address to the assembled diplomats on an Iphone propped against a water bottle in an expat hotel. He was not speaking to the world, but to his country. Quoting Winston Churchill, Kerry said “It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we must do what is required.”

The white, blubbering specter of a Trump presidency sapped strength from world efforts. Yet, I returned more optimistic than when I arrived. The world ratified the Paris Agreement more quickly than ever thought. Cities around the world are advancing toward carbon neutrality. Businesses are developing clean technologies because they recognize that efficiency is good business. The world reconfirmed its commitment to addressing climate change. A large banner on the last day proclaimed “We Will Move Ahead!”

Maybe the taxi driver was correct. Maybe it won’t be so bad. The world is united against the climate threat, even if our government is not. The world will lead, even if the US will not.

An Uncertain Future

Ben Breslau, Student, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

As we flew into Morocco, my mind raced. Like many of my environmentally conscious peers in the United States and beyond, I was still in shock from the previous week’s presidential election. Among his many campaign promises, President-elect Trump has spoken of promoting policies that would be disastrous to the national and global environment. He has discussed reinvigorating the coal industry, which will translate into massive health hazards for the people of Appalachia. He has also proposed to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency. This agency has improved countless lives by directly reducing the amount of pollutants in our nation’s rivers, air and soil. He has also suggested opening up our National Parks to private industries for exploitation. This would not only severely damage America’s tourism industry, but it would also destroy unique and irreplaceable ecosystems. And most dangerous of all, he is seriously considered abandoning the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. Since the United States is Earth’s second largest greenhouse gas emitter (and may again become the largest as China seeks more renewable energy), this could mean that our country, which stands as a beacon for freedom around the world, may irreparably contribute to the largest global crisis in our generation.

Needless to say, I was less than optimistic before we touched down in Africa. I felt something that others less privileged than myself have felt for years or even decades: a strong sense of disillusionment and betrayal towards the officials that are supposed to represent the interests of ALL Americans.

UCONN@COP22: The Trump Opener

Kristin Burnham, Student, Pathobiology and Molecular and Cell Biology

The Trump Opener: A cultural phenomenon observed at COP22 in which, once the nationality of a U.S. citizen is established, the opening remark of the conversation is about President-Elect Donald Trump.

“You know I’ve never met a Trump supporter,” Mostafa, a well-spoken, twenty something journalist from Cairo tells us as we wait for the bus from the Green Zone back to the hotel.

We comment that people who voted for Trump don’t come to climate change conferences, or to developing countries for that matter. The statement is laced with condescension, the implicit message clear: they don’t know better because they haven’t seen the things we have, they don’t know the things we know.  It’s how we explain their seemingly inexplicable choice.

Rich Miller, from the UConn cohort comments that it’s interesting how close the rest of the world followed the U.S. election. Mostafa replies, “We’re all stakeholders – your elections affect us as much as they affect you, maybe even more.” And, to some degree, he is right. For better or worse, the U.S. is a global superpower. Our foreign policy brings not only humanitarian aid and other resources to developing nations, but also, all too often, our soldiers, our missiles, and our carbon emissions, which travel far beyond our borders.

Mostafa explains that he sympathizes, comparing many Egyptians’ dislike for their President of the past two and-a-half years, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, to many Americans’ dislike of Trump. “I was a part of the Arab Spring,” he tells us. With pride and eloquence he says that our generation is more connected than ever before: How incredible it is that we can know the story and thoughts of a 16 year old girl in Palestine, a 41 year old man in Iraq… or a 20 year old girl from Connecticut.

There is a lull in the conversation. Ben Breslau, a fellow student from the UConn group, asks “So what do we do?” Mostafa emphatically replies, “You wait. Please wait.  You do nothing. You have patience,” almost pleading for the new US administration to stand behind the Paris Agreement, reached just last year at the historic COP21.  He cares what we do. He cares because it affects him too.

It’s not just what the president does that has a global impact. It’s what we all do. It’s the votes we cast, the revolutions we start, the passion of our convictions, and the causes we choose to champion.

A few minutes later we meet a delegate from Turkey, “You’re from America? I was here [at the conference] as the election results were coming in.” He says people cried and scheduled talks were abandoned to discuss instead the potential devastation Trump’s environmental policies could have on the world.

I hope that no matter what Trump does, no matter how drastic or inflammatory, we, as a country, can be more than his actions.

Let’s use the overwhelming feelings of frustration and helplessness to create a better United States. Let’s treat each other with more kindness. Let’s use the outrage and fear that surround Trump’s election to be a catalyst for change. Let’s join together to reduce our contribution to greenhouse gasses.

If we can’t take pride in our President, let us instead create a culture, country and carbon footprint we can be proud of.

Hoping for a Better Donald: What the 2016 Election Means for Climate Change Policy

Klara Reisch, Student, Molecular and Cell Biology

I shuffled in and out of shops trying to find a souvenir in Marrakech when one merchant turned to me, chuckled and asked “you voted for Trump?” I was confused and slightly embarrassed that this election was following me deep into the Souks of the Medina, but I was not surprised. In fact, before that encounter, most panel discussions I attended at COP22 mentioned the election results back home, which named Donald Trump as our president-elect. Throughout the campaign, Trump argued that climate change is merely a hoax spurred by the Chinese and criticized the United States for spending money on environmental initiatives to minimize its effects. He had threatened to dismantle last year’s landmark Paris Agreement, and Trump and revoke the Obama Administration’s Clean Power Plan, which calls for a decrease in carbon emissions from power plants.

Either way, this election left many delegates and panelists concerned and unsure about the future of our world. I spoke with a panelist from GIZ, Klaus Wenzel, about the U.S.’s resistance of climate change policy. He talked about how workers are concerned about how they will be affected by this transition to things like clean energy. “People are afraid,” he said. “People are afraid of what this means for their jobs.” One of Trump’s main issues with renewable energy is that it is too expensive. Wenzel argued that although the return on investment takes time, renewable energy decreases the amount of air pollution and green house gas emissions, both of which have major effects on the environment and human health. “What is the worth of a premature death?”

Of course, no one knows for sure what this election means for the United States and the rest of the world, but I heard opinions expressed by both sides in various panel discussions at COP22. Some said that the United States would not back out because of the geopolitical and trade implications, while others believe that the U.S. may step out of the game and perhaps force other countries to step up.

Hopefully, enough people will speak out against Trump’s environmental policies. If our president will not fight on our behalf, we will have to.

Below is a collection of blogs reflecting UConn’s experiences in Paris and at COP21. They include:

Takeaways from UConn@COP21 Rich Miller

Race, Privilege, and Climate Change – Addressing global instability Cristina Macklem

For a worldview of climate change Rachel Smiley

Takeaways from UConn@COP21

Rich Miller, Director – Office of Environmental Policy

Now that we’ve had a month or so since our return from Paris to reflect, what are the key takeaways from UConn’s first-ever participation in the UN’s annual Climate Summit?  Let’s start with the global perspective – COP21 will be long-remembered for two distinctly different reasons:

1. it occurred a few short weeks after ISIS-attributed terrorist attacks killed 130 innocent people at three popular locations in and around Paris; and
2. more importantly, it resulted in the Paris Agreement, which was approved by vote of acclimation among the 195 participating countries, finally including the world’s top two carbon emitters, the US and China.

Let’s hear it for the US’s decision to join the world’s most economically-powerful and globally-engaged nations in approving this historic climate accord.  In so doing, the US sides with countries like the those in the EU and Japan, and disassociates itself from a shrinking group of increasingly belligerent, rogue nations that did not participate, like Syria and North Korea.

The Paris Agreement will limit greenhouse gas emissions at levels needed to avoid global temperature increases of more than 2 degrees C. and thereby prevent the most catastrophic consequences of global warming.  While skeptics say the agreement is not strictly enforceable, a schedule of annual and five-year progress reports will establish a “name and shame” system for assuring compliance with each country’s own emissions targets. There is precedent in environmental law for the power of public disclosure.  Consider, for example, the successful reductions in the use and storage of hazardous chemicals after the adoption of Emergency Planning & Community Right to Know Act, which was part of the Superfund amendments during the late 1980s (aka, SARA Title III).

But back to the basics of UConn’s experience at COP21 and the related events and activities that occurred throughout Paris during our one-week stay, from Nov. 30 – Dec. 6. Perhaps the best way to describe it is like the Olympics for environmental policy wonks and climate activists, myself included.  Extending the analogy, Le Bourget was the main stadium, with multiple other venues in and around Paris, and hundreds of thousands of spectators and participants from around the globe who had gathered to be a part of history.  The Eiffel Tower was an inspiring analog for the Olympic torch – illuminated at times in green or with a “For the Planet” message throughout the event.

Our observations have been reported in two previous blog posts (Bonjour and Thoughts) written by several from the UConn cohort, which included  12 undergraduate students, faculty from four different academic departments – EEB, Geography, Political Science and NRE – and two staff from OEP’s Sustainability Office.  This overview introduces the third such group blog.

In December, our UConn@COP21 social media reports and photos posted on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter (#UConnTalksClimate), seem to have reached a wide audience. In deference then to our busy readers, here are 12 top takeaways written with Tweet-like brevity:

1. We did it! And they said it couldn’t be done with only seven months of planning. We represented UConn well, had an incredible experience, and returned safely – eager to share our experiences with the UConn community and beyond.
2. Coveted entry passes to the official COP21 and/or “civil society” proceedings were grossly over-rated. We had neither but still managed a busy schedule of events.

   

3. Colleagues from other schools who had passes to the official proceedings reported that it was about like watching the proverbial paint dry – no loss there for the (sans passes) UConn group.
4. Speakers, expert panels, discussion groups and exhibits at the vast COP21 Climate Generations Space (Green Zone) in Le Bourget, along with related events, like Climate Solutions, provided us with a substantive, immersive experience.
5. The impromptu climate change discussions, which the UConn group held every morning after breakfast, were a thought-provoking highlight of the trip for all.

   

6. UConn was proud to co-sponsor the “Higher Education Leads on Climate” networking event for our colleagues – thanks to co-hosts Second Nature, Kedge Business School and AASHE.
7. Attendance, not including UConn and other co-sponsors, was relatively modest, with 30 or 40 guests from perhaps a dozen different colleges and universities.  But the networking event clearly filled a void. We hope it’s the first of many higher-ed focused gatherings at future COPs.  See you in Marrakech?

   

8. Extra security was everywhere in Paris – reports said 30,000 police, many in full body armor and armed with AK-47s, were on duty at COP21 venues and patrolling the main tourist attractions.

   

9. Once we arrived in Paris, we never felt unsafe, despite the anxiety of family and friends beforehand.  As some suggested, this might have been the safest time to be in Paris.
10. The “City of Lights” did not disappoint.  We saved enough time to see many of the 300 beautiful Parisian buildings, monuments, fountains and statues that are up-lit at night.
11. Our hotel was perfect, from its convenient location to the excellent service we received. On our last morning in Paris, hotel staff even arrived 30 minutes early to send us off on our return flight with a full breakfast buffet.

    

12. The hotel’s front desk clerks had heard of UConn, not surprisingly from our multiple championship women’s basketball team. Now they know a little bit more about other things that UConn stands for, like world class campus sustainability and climate science programs.

In the coming months, our outstanding undergrads, selected from 77 extraordinary student applicants, will truly earn their expense-paid trip to Paris. They’ll be sharing their experiences with the UConn community, and beyond, by organizing and conducting outreach events, demonstration projects, photo exhibits and more. Stay tuned!

After final exams a few weeks ago, most of our group of 18 met with President Susan Herbst, who was genuinely impressed with our accomplishment.  She encouraged us to continue the UConn@COP group effort, and to develop longer-term and unique climate leadership and sustainability strategies for UConn. Toward the end of our meeting, which ran about 45 minutes longer than scheduled, she even brainstormed with us, offering some great ideas about how to reach the widest audience.  She was pleased to hear that there were very few, if any, colleges and universities that participated in COP21 quite the way we did. If this kind of global, interdisciplinary and co-curricular experience is to happen again for UConn at future COPs, there’s no better nod of support to have than the President’s.

And, while we’re at it, thanks again to the senior administrators and others who believed in and enabled our vision last year, starting in May, when we began planning and fundraising for UConn@COP21: especially the VP of Global Affairs, Deans of CLAS, CAHNR, and the School of Engineering, along with faculty leaders in the Marine Sciences Department and at the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation Biology, which is purchasing carbon offsets (with proceeds supporting the Indonesian Rimba Ray Project) to account for the greenhouse gas emissions from our international travel.  Even UConn’s beverage contractor, Coca-Cola, which had a significant corporate presence of its own at COP21, contributed a student sponsorship share. Last but not least, the Campus Sustainability Fund, supported by individual and company donations from UConn (EcoHusky) Nation, helped transform our unlikely dream in April into an unforgettable reality by December.

Merci beaucoup, on et tout – au revoir, Paris!

Race, Privilege, and Climate Change—Addressing global instability

Cristina Macklem

A few weeks ago, my conservation biology class did an exercise on privilege, and the thing about privilege is that it is often hard to see unless it is brought to your attention. After completing the exercise, I realized how much of my privilege I failed to recognize and how insidious and complex the manifestations of privilege and racism are, particularly with regard to climate change and the environment. That experience was in the back of my mind as I traveled to Paris for COP21 with UConn. As an ecology student, I wanted to get a new perspective on climate change by attending talks and discussions focused on addressing issues pertaining to racism, women, and indigenous peoples. I hoped these events would help me to better understand the complexity of these issues and my privilege in these situations.

On our third full day in Paris, I attended a profound discussion on racism and climate change.  The event included a panel of people from all races and walks of life. Each panelist took turns telling their own personal stories about the exploitation of their lands and people. The discussion focused on the idea that the root of our social and environmental instability is in the economic self-interests of a few powerful countries, a pattern that began centuries ago. Our willingness to exploit our land resources arose when we became willing to exploit and enslave people. We took the land and natural resources of many indigenous persons away and continued to abuse them and the land, until we reached the tipping point on which we currently balance. Between the war in Syria and the refugee crisis, senseless discrimination, catastrophic natural disasters, and the massacres in Paris just a few weeks before COP21, tensions in many countries are rising along with the average global temperature. At the conclusion of this discussion, there was an agreement that we cannot address climate issues and environmental degradation without addressing the social issues, which permeate from the foundation of our global society. The group also expressed concern that the decisions made during the delegations would reflect a select few privileged nations and not the interests of the majority of our world’s citizens.

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Nigeria’s former Minister of Finance who served on a panel for the Global Landscape Forum, also shared these sentiments. She spoke about the need for extrinsic financial support to adequately address the current and future climate-related issues facing her country, which, many would argue, are largely caused by the past actions of the would-be extrinsic financial contributors. Even though these developed countries are responsible for many of our current climate concerns, she wasn’t optimistic that their contributions would be sufficient. As a result, she has been forced to find and utilize extremely limited domestic financial resources to mitigate any losses and damages and to develop ways to reduce emissions in her country.

This panelist now has a reason to be optimistic because the final draft of the agreement document states that developed nations will pay a minimum of “USD 100 billion per year” to support the “needs and priorities of developing countries.” While it still remains to be seen how the developed countries will allocate these funds to the developing countries, it is absolutely a step in the right direction to stop the cycle of social and environmental destruction that we have created.

My week at COP21 truly transformed my outlook on climate change. In order to address current global instability effectively, we must first have a united global community. We cannot sit back and let things continue as they have. We have to act together to change policy, behavior, and land use. We must recognize our privilege and learn to value the input and concerns of the global majority and compensate them accordingly. We owe it to the environment, humanity, and the continued existence our planet.

For a worldview of climate change

Rachel Smiley

After a very short week at COP21, I quickly realized that we in the United States are strikingly sheltered from the effects of climate change, which undoubtedly contributes to our nation’s reluctance to take action and the ongoing refusal of some to accept that dramatic action needs to be taken.

It may seem like the US is doing fairly well.  We don’t have to worry about entire cities closing down because of smog.  Our economic position allows us to deal with the drought in California without worrying about running out of food.  Sea level rise doesn’t put our entire country at risk of flooding.  The general public in the US hasn’t experienced any significant changes (yet!!), so dramatic action to mitigate climate change isn’t seen as a priority.  Arguments for climate action often refer to the impacts it could have in the future.

However, my conversations with people from places already being significantly affected by changes in the climate opened my eyes to the urgency of the issue.  Island nations are pushing to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C instead of the proposed 2°C, because sea level rise is already causing their people to lose their homes.  The Middle East and Northern Africa, whose economies rely on fossil fuels, are active in coming to an agreement to limit CO2 emissions because they are currently experiencing large scale droughts and dust storms.

In Paris I witnessed so many people who were exceptionally passionate about finding solutions to climate change because they have personally seen what kind of destruction to people’s livelihoods results from increasing global temperatures.  So, does the US wait to suffer huge consequences before we are serious about cutting emissions and investing in renewable energy sources?  Hopefully the COP21 agreement will ensure that the US doesn’t experience the widespread effects of climate change to such a degree.  Regardless, I think it is important for everyone in the US to take a broader worldview of the issue and understand the harm that rising temperatures is already having on so much of the world.