Interview with Amelia Turk - Freo’s Youth Rep at COP28 in UAE

Recently, we brought you Freo local Amelia Turk’s report on the hopes and expectations for COP28 soon after Amelia had arrived in Dubai to observe the COP28 proceedings as an Australian Youth representative.

Amelia Turk speaks onstage at the Dubai Youth Climate Dialogue + Youth Stocktake Outcomes Launch during the UN Climate Change Conference COP28 at Expo City Dubai on December 8, 2023, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. (Photo by COP28 / Anthony Fleyhan)

Now that the COP28 dust has begun to settle, our Editor, Michael Barker, was anxious to catch up with Amelia Turk to make this podcast and get her take on COP28, as well as what lies ahead for her.

YOUNGO members after a late night of drafting text proposal for the Presidency Youth Climate Champion decision

In the podcast, Amelia explains how she has become involved as an advocate for climate change and discusses the 5 things that particularly impressed her about COP28, namely –
* the size and enormity of the conference, and how smoothly it (normally) ran
* the speed at which draft texts can change and be adopted (whether this is a good ‘impressed’ or not is debatable)
* the fact that you have delegates from all around the world, a really great way to get to know people and build connections
* how dedicated everyone is to their cause, whether from Government, civil society, UNFCCC and the like.
* the huge numbers of Australians present,

Amelia also mentions a few disappointments, namely –
* the final text (the ‘First Global Stocktake’) with its quite watered down language
* and, while it is improving, the ability for civil society, including youth, to be involved in the deliberative COP processes.

YOUNGO bilateral with UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Stiel. Credit YOUNGO Communications Unit

Amelia is a wonderfully articulate Youth rep and her knowledge and commitment to civil society involvement in COP proceedings are evident throughout the podcast. You won’t want to miss a word of Amelia’s eye-witness COP28 account. Enjoy!

WHILE YOU’RE HERE –