The voices of youth at climate talks

These in-their-own-words pieces are told to Patricia Lane and co-edited with input from the interviewee for the purpose of brevity.

Annabelle Liao strives to increase youth engagement and representation in climate action spaces and at decision-making tables. This 22-year-old University of British Columbia undergraduate student was named a Starfish Canada 2023 Top 25 Environmentalist and has been selected to participate in UBC’s Climate Storytelling Fellowship leading up to the August 2024 Communicating Climate Hope conference.

Tell us about your project.

I attended the United Nations 28th Conference of the Parties (COP 28) as a member of the ClimaTalk delegation, an NGO with members in over 30 countries. We helped young people engage in climate policy more effectively by breaking down complex UN processes, translating the jargon in the negotiations and agreements and providing a platform for youth voices. ClimaTalk has other projects too, like maintaining a database of youth involved in climate-related litigation and climate-relevant university courses.

My responsibilities at COP28 included attending and daily reporting on negotiations, and interviewing youth changemakers on the work that brought them to the conference.

Many people seem disillusioned with the COP process. Are you?

COP28 was so large it was easy to feel insignificant. But by working directly on the ground to amplify the voices of other youth, I do feel that I maximized my potential to contribute. Although some older members of the UBC delegation said they would not attend another COP, the consensus is that the official capacity of youth and Indigenous representation needs to grow.

How did you get into this?

It was a lot of being in the right place at the right time and developing networks. Last year, I was promoting the UBC Sustainable Clubs Program at a booth for the United Nations Association in Canada Environment Festival. A student at the booth next to mine was representing the Local Conference of Youth Canada (LCOY Canada), and I got involved with their team as a policy researcher. There, I learned about the G7 Research Group, and joined them too, as a Compliance Analyst to analyse different countries’ compliance with their clean energy technology commitments. I then leveraged the skills I gained to join ClimaTalk’s COP28 Project Team and became a delegate.

After coming home from Dubai, I have been offered other advocacy opportunities. Examples include a recent meeting with B.C.'s Climate Action Secretariat to discuss COP28 highlights and youth engagement in climate action and decision-making at the provincial level. I recently attended GLOBE Forum 2024 with the Leading Change delegation, helping young professionals leverage their leadership to accelerate positive environmental, social and economic impacts.

What got you interested in sustainability in the first place?

When I was 12, my dad took me to see a film called, “Beyond Beauty: Taiwan From Above.” I was so proud to know I came from a place with such beautiful landscapes and biodiversity. But then, the scenes suddenly cut to the same places - only they were clear-cut and devastated. That is my first distinct memory of realizing I wanted to do something about it.

In high school, I got the chance to lead educational children’s programs at the Vancouver Aquarium. What I didn’t know until I was there was how much I myself would learn. I gained knowledge about marine life, conservation and interconnected ecosystems, but the biggest realization for me was that I could make a career out of climate action.

What makes your work hard?

The changes we need must happen at a systems level but there are many barriers hindering progress that are embedded in our institutions even at the community level.

What keeps you awake at night?

I am a university student so it might be things as ordinary as whether I have studied well enough for an exam. But underlying all my day-to-day worries is the knowledge that climate impacts are already here for countless communities and going to get worse. On the other hand, sometimes it’s excitement about the potential for positive change that keeps me up. This comes from meeting inspiring people working together every day with determination to tackle our most pressing social and environmental issues.

What is your vision for a better world?

I hope we can build a world where there is more spaciousness for everyone to breathe, rest, recover and be joyful.

What would you like to say to other young people?

Competing with each other is not productive; movements only become movements when we have all hands on deck in unity. Take chances. Fail fast and fail often. I switched university programs twice until I found my niche. No amount of planning or thinking can possibly replace the insights you gain from doing.

What about older readers?

Showing curiosity and engagement as our mentors, funders and role models means the world. Providing us with a platform that amplifies our work is one of the most impactful ways to move youth movements forward.