Call for Participants: FYEG Delegation to COP29

Would you like to represent FYEG at the 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29)?

The 29th Climate Change Conference is planned to take place in Baku, Azerbaijan (official it is scheduled for 11 - 22 November 2024, though it usually is extended by one or two days, and it is absolutely essential that we plan to be there for the extension). FYEG brings the possibility to participate as an observer to the summit.

FYEG has a proud history of influencing the COP negotiations and using the negotiations to push our narrative of climate justice. To take some recent examples, at COP26, Clara was the voice of European youth on BBC News when the negotiations failed and she called it a betrayal, and Tyrone made global headlines when he stormed the stage and declared COP a failure (but please don’t do this again or we might stop getting badges). At COP27, the delegation worked with activists from Europe and the Global South to force the EU into a U-turn on loss and damage, before Stefanie and Ali read out the official closing statement on behalf of the world’s young people.

We don’t just go to COP to learn stuff or create a few Instagram stories. We go to COP to exercise political power (while learning some stuff and making some Instagram stories along the way!). We cannot leave international climate negotiations in the hands of neoliberal governments and fossil fuel lobbyists.

If this sounds scary, that’s fine. Being at COP will be one of the most intense experiences of your life, and the FYEG delegation will be there to support you through that. But it can also be one of the most empowering experiences of your life.

Are you interested, inspired and involved in the effort for climate justice? Do you have the time, skills and knowledge to represent FYEG at COP this year? If so please apply to be part of our delegation to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change before day, 15th of September 2024 23:59 CEST

Requirements 

  • Basic knowledge about climate change

  • Interest and experience in environmental policy making and/or climate activism

  • Knowledge on Green values such as ecology, feminism, anti-racism and social justice

  • Experience and knowledge in climate negotiations is an asset

  • Usually our delegates are members of a member organisation of FYEG, though we are open to considering exceptions

What you need to know

  • The COP summit is taking place in Azerbaijan, which has an authoritarian regime and which is rated by ILGA-Europe as the worst state in Europe for LGBTQ+ rights. The delegates should stay alert and exercise increased caution. Please note that FYEG will not be able to assist delegates in the event of any incident. As such, all delegates are fully responsible for their own safety and wellbeing. In case of emergencies COP delegates should seek support from their respective consulates. You are also advised to consult the travel advisory of your country. 

    • All activists should be aware of the risks they may face by participating in mobilisations in this country. FYEG is not responsible for the legal, penal, personal consequences of participating in the mobilisations outside of COP29. FYEG commits only to arrange the accommodation and to provide the NGO Observer Badge to allow the participation of the activists to COP29, and will not commit to providing other financial, legal or administrative support. 

    • All participants are requested to act taking into consideration the principles of international solidarity, being aware of potential risks that their behaviour could have on local activists living in Azerbaijan after and outside COP.

  • That said, so long as you have a COP badge, you are formally under the protection of the United Nations while in Azerbaijan. As FYEG, we have largely positive experiences of this protection. We expect that the activist community will create resources which will guide you on how to stay safe in Azerbaijan as an activist. In the past, the FYEG delegation has worked together as a tight-knit support group, both in practical and emotional terms, and we hope it will again this year.

  • Your role will be to work with youth movements from around the world to push our narrative through protest, media work, and social media communication, with support from the FYEG communication’s officer in Brussels.

  • The number of accreditations available to attend the negotiations is decided by the UNFCCC Secretariat. This means we do not yet know how big our delegation will be but we hope to have around 4 people at the Conference at any one time.

  • This is an unpaid position. The expenses that will be covered by FYEG are:

    • Travel up to an amount agreed with the secretariat (to be communicated after the selection process, according to your itinerary). Each delegate should book and pay for their own travel. FYEG will reimburse the travel according to the financial guideline provided.

    • Accommodation will be booked and paid for by FYEG only for the days in which the delegate holds the badge (certain flexibility can be discussed for travel organisation, etc). If a delegate wishes to stay in the country for longer, they will arrange and pay their own accommodation and other expenses.

    • Food will be reimbursed by FYEG only for the days in which they hold the badge. According to FYEG’s IRPs, FYEG is not going to reimburse alcoholic drinks and meals that are not vegetarian or vegan. The financial guideline will include details on the maximum expenses on meals.

    • The reimbursement of expenses is only granted if the participant submits a reimbursement claim through the channels specified by FYEG and provides the original receipts. FYEG will provide clear guidelines for this process.

  • Members of the delegation are expected to attend regular delegation meetings in advance of COP to prepare for the conference. The frequency of the meetings will be agreed between the delegates and coordinated by the delegation coordinator but to give you an idea, in advance of COP27 the group met every two weeks. FYEG can provide technical assistance and facilitate online tools.

  • The Delegation is open for participants coming from Europe. If you are based in another region and interested in taking part in COP29, please get in touch with our friends in the Global Young Greens.

FYEG strives to promote gender balance, diversity and inclusion within its structures. We are committed to creating an inclusive environment based on mutual respect and to promoting active political participation of persons with disabilities and of disadvantaged groups. All applicants are encouraged to submit their application and to self-identify in the application form.

If you have questions, reach out to Sean Currie: sean.currie@fyeg.org or @seanpwcurrie on Telegram

If you are interested in applying please fill the application HERE before the 15th of September at 23:59 CEST.