Episode 1: ACTION…not a bag a mout’

I had the opportunity to travel to Spain for United Nations COP 25 Climate Change Conference. This is an annual global conference where world leaders, various country representatives, environment organizations, activists all dedicated to fighting climate change convene. COP stands for Conference of Parties and this is where country delegations come together to assess progress and agree on to reduce global emission targets – which is working towards curbing actions and activities reducing the amount of carbon dioxide. The theme for COP 25 was “Time to Act” an important call for all countries to work individually and collectively to beyond the landmark Paris Agreement to keep global warming below 1.5◦C

What does taking action even mean?  Is climate change just another trend or is it a critical underpinning of a new world order? During the ongoing country delegations, exhibitions showcasing climate-smart innovations, panel discussions and presentations highlighting realities within regions across the globe, I sat down with Ayesha Constable, climate activist and National Coordinating Officer for Jamaica – Japan Caribbean Climate Change Partnership to answer these questions. In our discussion, we explored the evolution of the climate change debate, the divide between the developing and developed countries – (are the Global South countries getting the needed attention?), the role of citizens in addressing the climate change and youth champions who are taking a stand against climate change.