United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP 22
7 - 18 November 2016
The 22nd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 22) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is being held in Marrakech, Morocco, from 7 - 18 November 2016.
This annual conference will bring together thousands of attendees from government, academia, business and advocacy groups to advance international agreements that aim to mitigate climate change and adapt to its effects. In particular, Marrakech will focus on the implementation of the brand new Paris Agreement on climate change - agreed last year at COP 21 - one of the most significant events in environmental negotiations this decade.
KEY INFO
DELEGATION FEE - $4230
DEPARTS AKL - 31 Oct
ARRIVES BACK IN AKL - 23 Nov
TRAINING WEEKEND - 15-16 Oct
APPLICATIONS DUE - 23 Sept
$1500 DEPOSIT DUE - 7 Oct
Head Delegate
DAVID TONG | @davidxvx
David leads P3 Foundation, New Zealand's youth movement against extreme poverty. His background is as a lawyer, having worked as a big firm litigator, community lawyer, and judges' clerk.
David's been to every COP since Durban in 2011 (except for Doha in 2012). He's been a youth delegate, communications fellow with Climate Tracker, and Fast for the Climate campaign coordinator - and he now coordinates the New Zealand Climate Action Network. He's been training our delegates in climate law and policy for years, having also written his Masters thesis on the climate negotiations towards Paris.
Delegates
VICTORIA THOMSON
Victoria is studying a Masters of International Relations at Victoria University with a focus on climate migration in the Asia-Pacific region. She is a third culture kid, having lived and been educated in Asia, Africa and Europe before moving to New Zealand for university. She has been involved in several Model United Nations conferences, UN Youth, and a couple of international organisations. Victoria is passionate about politics and development, and she hopes to pursue a career in global governance and diplomacy.
KEVIN HOWE
Kevin is a third year medical student at the University of Auckland, and will be pursuing a research honours next year. He has a keen interest in global health, particularly the effects of climate change and conflict on the health systems of developing nations. A long-time volunteer with UN Youth New Zealand, he currently serves as its National Volunteers Officer. In his downtime, he loves to watch mainstream TV and arthouse films, practise archery, or spend hours at a time cooking.
RACHEL MATAIRA
Rachel is an innovative yet commercial 21 year old. She studies a double degree of Design and Commerce at Victoria University. She is a go-getter, and she continuously seeks opportunities to advance her knowledge of the world around her. She believes a sustainable solution should contribute equally to environmental, economic and social improvement. She is establishing a tech company, plays competitive sport and was recently awarded runner up in the 2016 New Zealand Top Student Awards in Accounting and Finance.
GENEVIEVE NORTHEY
Genevieve works with a number of key environmental programmes including Reconnecting Northland, Aotearoa’s first large landscape restoration project. She is currently completing postgraduate studies at the Australian Centre of Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies. Originally from Warkworth, her whakapapa connects her to the Waikato / Horowhenua regions (Ngāti Tukorehe/Ngāti Raukawa) and she enjoys connecting with inspiring people who seek innovative answers to her community’s social and environmental issues both locally and globally.
MATTHEW SCHEP
Matthew is currently graduating from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) and a Bachelor of Arts (Politics). He works for United Nations Youth NZ, a civics education charity. He is passionate about environmentalism, human rights, education, food, and board games. Matthew is particularly concerned with the the effects of climate change on lower socio-economic communities and the impacts of animal agriculture and food systems on atmospheric carbon levels. He believes that human rights of the world's most vulnerable need to be at the forefront of climate action.
MELISSA HARWARD
Melissa is in her third year at Victoria University studying law and environmental studies. She is passionate about advocating for our natural environment and full and fair lives for people all over the world. She wants to be part of something that creates a change in the way we see growth and success. For her, sustainability and loving one another are really indicators important of that. The prospect of going to the conference is a dream come true- she's always loved helping others.
HANA MAIHI
"Ko Hana Maihi ahau. I hail Orakei Auckland. I whakapapa to the tribes of Ngati Whātua, Ngai Te Rangi and Tainui decent."
EMILY RUSHTON
Emily's background is in nursing but after seeing climate change affecting the world while travelling, she now has a full-time hobby of being a climate change educator, environmental project co-ordinator and activist. Her main focus is helping the agricultural industry in the changes needed for the environment, as it has arguably the hardest road of change in NZ but with the biggest possible gains. She also lectures regularly on the benefits of lowering animal consumption, for health and the environment.