The British Columbia Council for International Cooperation (BCCIC) Youth Delegation to the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2017 consists of seven youth delegates who will represent young people of British Columbia and the provincial council on a global stage that aims to accelerate global climate action and advocate for sustainable development.
We are the five UBC students who are a part of the BCCIC Youth Delegation. We are concerned about our generation’s future in the face of climate change, and are passionate about empowering youth, civil society, Indigenous groups, and other non-party stakeholders to fight for their rights to a sustainable climate future.
This blog will share our experiences and perspectives at the 23rd Conference of Parties (COP23) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Bonn, Germany, 2017.
Our delegation represents a diverse collection of disciplines that all contribute to mitigating and adapting to climate change, including Political Science, International Economics, Psychology, International Development, Marine Biology, and Asian Studies.
Contact us if you would like to get in touch with us.
Delegates from UBC
Benjamin Georges-Picot is an undergraduate student at UBC aiming to major in International Relations with a focus on global environmental politics. Benjamin believes that political engagement on all scales will help us achieve a more sustainable future. His love for the environment was first sparked through interactions with wildlife and nature. He started raising awareness of political issues and environmental consciousness, taking part in conversations and working with his high school to reduce its carbon footprint. Benjamin is a working member of the International Youth Climate Movement (YOUNGO) and he will continue advocating change in his community through political activism in BC. (LinkedIn)
Colton Kasteel studies International Economics at the University of British Columbia and is passionate about social justice and sustainable development, with a focus on researching, promoting, and implementing market-based solutions to climate change. Colton co-founded UBC’s first organization dedicated to analyzing political and economic responses to climate change, the UBC Environmental Policy Association, and served as a Creative Officer for the National University of Singapore’s largest environmental group, NUS SAVE.
Currently, Colton helps lead operations at Gathering Voices Society, which aims to foster economic, social, and ecological resilience in First Nations communities by facilitating the implementation of ecosystem stewardship programs that combine traditional ecological knowledge with market-based tools. He also manages the UBC Alma Mater Society’s Sustainability Projects Fund, and is an active volunteer for social and environmental causes.
Colton is thrilled to be part of BCCIC’s delegation to COP 23, and looks forward to representing British Columbian youth on the world stage. (Twitter | LinkedIn)
Keila Stark is a UBC student entering her final year of a B.Sc Hons in Marine Biology with a minor in Political Science.
Keila’s education, volunteer work, and advocacy experience have all contributed to her mission of protecting biodiversity, mitigating negative climate change outcomes, and ensuring equitable and sustainable global development (all three of these things co-benefit each other when achieved). Keila is a fierce advocate of scientists demanding a say in all and playing a more active role in policy-making at all levels of governance.
Keila has worked as a conservation educator for Parks Canada, the BC Wildlife Federation, and Vancouver Aquarium. She has also worked with various sustainability and research groups on UBC campus delivering workshops on the SDGs and global development. Keila has experience writing about climate change-based discussions within International Organizations from working for the Nippon-UBC Nereus Program: an interdisciplinary research collective that investigates how climate change and overfishing impact the ecology and human use of our oceans. Currently, she is doing her Honours thesis research on seagrass ecosystems, which are a globally significant carbon sink and benefit coastal communities for the slew of ecosystem services they provide.
Keila is honoured to be a member of the BCCIC youth delegation to the UNFCCC, and she looks forward to mindfully representing the views and interests of Canadian youth, women, and scientists in climate change and sustainable development discussions. (Twitter | LinkedIn)
Jeffrey Qi is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Political Science with a minor in Environment and Society. He is passionate about international development and collaboration with an environmental focus. Jeffrey is a working member of the International Youth Climate Movement (YOUNGO) and has been an YOUNGO Delegate Observer to the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2017 Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 46) in Bonn, Germany. He is currently a project coordinator with BCCIC on youth engagement and international processes. (Twitter | LinkedIn)
Verna Yam is in her final year of studies at the University of British Columbia, completing an International Relations Major and Asian Area Studies Minor. Verna is passionate about facilitating international cooperation to support the resolution of global issues like climate change, and strives to supplement her studies with hands-on experience. Aside from assisting federal environmental policy at Environment and Climate Change Canada, Verna has also interned at the Consulate-General of the United States in Vancouver.
In addition, Verna aims to encourage youth engagement with international issues. She has organized Model United Nations conferences for up to 700 student delegates and planned events to promote Canada’s linkages to the Asia-Pacific amongst youth.
With her keen interest in collaboration to advance global sustainable development, Verna is honoured to be part of the BCCIC delegation to COP 23. She looks forward to supporting the delegation with her specific focus on East Asia, an area she is familiar with from coursework as well as firsthand experience studying and working there. (Twitter | LinkedIn)
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