Raquel Kleber (Brazil), Tsiry Rakoto (Madgascar) and Warime Guti (Papua New Guinea) are preparing the LWF Youth involvement in the LWF Climate Change Summit

The core group of the LWF Youth delegation to the 18^th Conference of Parties (COP 18) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) met last week (1^st-4^th October 2012) at the Ecumenical Center, in Geneva, with the outgoing LWF Youth Secretary Rev. Roger Schmidt. The core group consists of the three co-leaders of the expected 10 LWF Youth delegates to the COP18: Ms. Tsiri Rakoto from Madagascar, who is now doing her internship at the LWF Human Rights and International Relations Office, Ms. Raquel Kleber from Brazil  who is about to complete her undergraduate degree in International Relations and me, Mr. Warime Guti from Papua New Guinea one of the LWF Council member as a youth.

It was a challenging task to brainstorm ideas on how to prepare the delegation before  COP18, and to think about our strategies and perspectives during the conference and what what is generally expected to be the output by mid 2013.

The core group’s meeting this week brought together ideas and we strategically set up four main goals this delegation is aimed to achieve by mid 2013. The four goals are:

1. By mid 2013 the delegation members have mobilized 300 young people from at least 8 member church to be active on Climate Justice in their respective context
2. By mid 2013 the leadership of at least 8 member church have heard about the urgent and continuing importance of Climate Change
3. By mid 2013 the delegation members have meaningfully contributed to civil society and ecumenical coalition
4. By mid 2013 the delegation members have meaningfully accompanied and advocated in the UNFCCC process

In order to prepare the whole group before attending the meeting in Doha we have planned to facilitate two webinars. The two webinar will be co-facilitated by the three of us with Roger. Basically the webinar will look into deepening the understanding of the delegates about Climate Change in general, UNFCC processes, the COP meeting itself and explore more into understanding respective delegate’s local context of how Climate Change is dealt with in the local church and the country.

COP18 and the Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol will be held from 26^th November to the 7^th December 2012 in Doha, Qatar. For the Conference we have we have strategies to facilitate our delegates to understand more into the process of discussion in the two major areas; MITIGATION and ADAPTATION. We are also expected to join ecumenical and civil society’s coalitions to advocate on specific issues that are in line with the values and visions of LWF. The time there in Doha will be hectic and we are also expecting last minute planning and strategies depending on what we see there on the ground.

And now after the meeting each one of the delegate is expected to develop a concept of what they will be doing back at their local churches in order for us to achieve our four main goals by mid 2013. As co-leaders we hope to facilitate with the rest of the delegates during the stay in Doha to develop ideas so delegates grasp what they can do effectively back at their respective context.