Echoes of Resilience: Indigenous Voices from South and Southeast Asia at COP28

By Jasmine Sone At COP28, I had the opportunity to speak with three extraordinary people: Chandra Tripura, who advocates for the Tripura community in Bangladesh; Pirawan Wongnithisathaporn, who represents the Karen community in Thailand, specifically the Pga K’nyaw; and Shree Kumar Mahajan, who speaks for the Newar community in Nepal. Their stories brought to light …

Structures that Shape COP28

By: April Kwan The 2023 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 28), located in the United Arab Emirates this year, was hosted in Expo City Dubai. The space was divided into two distinct zones that provide access to different events, the Blue and Green Zone. Getting access to the Blue Zone required a United Nations …

What is appropriate clothing at the COP?

As you walk into the COP for the first time, it is hard not to be in awe of the thousands of people all representing their different countries, cultures, and backgrounds. One of the aspects that sticks out immediately is the wide array of clothing. Heading into COP 28, my classmates and I were informed …

Awakening Connections: Embracing the Rights of Nature

By Jasmine Sone Among all the discussions at COP28, the term “Rights of Nature” caught me off guard, a concept foreign to me until that point. My initial feeling was one of confusion. Why is it necessary to advocate for the Rights of Nature in a world where its intrinsic sacredness should be obvious? Defining …

Responsibility at COP28: For Whom, For What?

by Lucy Kramer (Anthropology, ’26) The full U.S. delegation gathered at the final meeting for Article 6 of the Paris Agreement On the day before the final Global Stocktake text came out, the parties were lined up to give their interventions—at 1:00 am, when I left for the metro back to my hotel, there were …

The United States Disappoints at COP28 Yet Again

By Mckenna Ryan I’m writing on December 13th, the day after the official end of COP28, but negotiations still continue. This COP, the United States has established itself yet again as a guardian of the neocolonial global order. Throughout negotiations, it has been stubbornly committed to shutting down meaningful progress: refusing to contribute necessary funding …

No False Solutions: Climate Colonialism and the Grand Inga Dam

By Riss Banuelos The colonial-capitalist machine is the driver of climate change as it effectively exploits the earth and its beings, destroying countless lifeways. The prerequisite to extracting Nature’s resources has often been the removal and murder of indigenous and local people, severe environmental degradation has been a side effect. Furthermore, for those not displaced, …

Trade at COP28: Navigating New Frontiers in Climate Policy

by Zoraiz Zafar ’24 The COP28 conference marked a historic moment in the climate change dialogue, dedicating a day exclusively to ‘trade.’ This unprecedented focus reflects a growing understanding of trade’s integral role in addressing climate change. It represents a step forward in harmonizing economic and environmental objectives, acknowledging that global trade dynamics can significantly …

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