Last November, two Whitworth University students and one faculty member made a 32-hour trip to Azerbaijan to attend the world climate summit known as COP 29. In many ways, it was a memorable experience. SPR’s Doug Nadvornick checked back with the group to hear about some of the highlights.
Ziona Rose: One thing that I didn't fully know until getting there was that COP has different theme days. Events did not really follow that. So that was interesting to learn. But it was also just interesting trying to work my way around. And the talks that I thought would be really fascinating were not as straightforward for me. And then some talks that I just went to because I had time to fill were honestly some of my favorites overall.
Dylan Richardson: Some of the most unique memories to COP are just....walking through the tunnels in between [sessions] and just almost bumping into a high-level U.S. government official...I bumped into the chair of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. Her name is Brenda Mallory, and I've followed her work as a student of environmental politics. And I just kind of blurted out her name, like, oh, Brenda Mallory! Because it's like seeing a celebrity in the middle of this conference. And she just turns around and goes, do I know you? And obviously I didn't. But funny interactions like that are, I think, some of the most special things to come out of the trip with.
Aaron Hitefield: You're in these meetings and you're able to sit just a couple feet away from these folks, Senator Whitehouse, Senator Ed Markey, being able to be in these spaces with them. Students can go up and talk to these people. And that's something that you just can't get anywhere else. And so being able to have that experience for yourself, then also see students be able to experience it was really rewarding.
