United Nations Climate Change Conference – COP 23
6-17 November 2017 | Bonn, Germany
The 23rd session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 23) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) is being held in Bonn, Germany, at the Headquarters of the UNFCCC, from 6-17 November 2017.
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. Bonn will continue to focus on the implementation of the new Paris Agreement on climate change - agreed in 2015 at COP 21 - one of the most significant events in environmental negotiations this decade.
KEY INFO
DEPARTS AKL - 30 October
ARRIVES BACK IN AKL - 23 November
TRAINING WEEKEND - 7-8 October
APPLICATIONS DUE - 11 August
$1500 DEPOSIT DUE - 21 August
DELEGATION FEE - $4775
Head Delegate
ANNA STURMAN
Anna is currently a PhD candidate in the University of Sydney's Department of Political Economy, where she looks at New Zealand's engagement with climate change and the UNFCCC in light of macroeconomic theories of value. Her academic background spans degrees in Law, Media and Communications and Political Science; the last being her favourite and the subject of her Honours. Anna is an enrolled Barrister and Solicitor of the High Court of NZ, but has opted for the joys of writing policy over litigating. Currently, she manages the Sydney Opera House's organisational policy when she is not burrowed away thinking about her thesis. Anna attended COP21 in Paris with NZYD, and has a selfie with Christiana Figueres from a dance floor at 2am to prove it (nailed it). Really delicious bread, clashing patterns and Meg Ryan's early '90s aesthetic are among Anna's all-consuming passions outside the world of climate change policy.
Delegates
USHANA JAYASURIYA
Ushana is an MA student at Victoria University of Wellington. Her research is in the field of Climate Justice where she explores the justification of the distribution of obligations between developed and developing countries. The opportunity to attend the Bonn Conference would be beneficial for her studies as well as her personal interest in climate change. Ushana is a keen volunteer, helping students settle in New Zealand and also writing weekly articles for the Organisation for World Peace.
SEDEF DUDER-ÖZYURT
Sedef is a second year student at Victoria University studying law, psychology and environmental science. With a particular interest in civics education, she is a founding member of student led organisation Active Citizenship Aotearoa and is the current Campaign Manager for the Virgin Voter Collective. Sedef has always been passionate about being around nature and protecting it, taking part in a Sir Peter Blake Trust expedition to the Sub Antarctic and sailing to Turkey with the Australian Navy. Looking to the future, Sedef sees herself working internationally in global governance or climate change negotiations and is excited to begin this journey at COP 23.
KERA SHERWOOD-O'REGAN
Kera is of Kāi Tahu iwi, and has been involved in climate change and environmental advocacy for over a decade. Starting with establishing her school’s environmental club, she has been involved in various advocacy, campaigning, & political groups, currently as Climate Co-Convenor at NZMSA. She holds a BA in Politics & Anthropology, and is studying towards a Medical degree. Kera is passionate about making a difference at the intersection of health, indigeneity, and climate change. She hopes that she can weave these together with a career in General Practice Medicine & Public Health.
AMANDA KIRK
Amanda has a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) majoring in Natural Resources and currently works for Opus International Consultants as an Environmental Engineer. She is involved in a wide range of environmental projects including stormwater design, hydrology and geospatial analysis. Amanda is passionate about humanitarian development and volunteers with Engineers Without Borders New Zealand (EWBNZ) where she is currently managing the National Research Program. EWBNZ is a not-for-profit organisation which aims to confront the global challenges of poverty, sustainable development and social inequity through humanitarian engineering.
JASON BOBERG
Jason Boberg is the creative director of Activate, a film agency dedicated to producing content for impact. Jason accidentally graduated with a film degree from Victoria University after studying psychology and architecture. He is passionate about changing perceptions and providing a positive lens on social and environmental issues. He is an advocate for and has a lived experience of disability. He is interested in the interaction between human rights and environmental rights.
MILLY SANDERS
After 5 years of travel, Camilla chose to study business, for its massive potential to effect change in the world. Climate change is humanity's most imminent threat and the lives of the most vulnerable of our human family are in the balance. She wishes to be informed on all levels; political, social, scientific and economic on the issue of climate change so as to contribute to her utmost potential in protecting those effected both now and in the future.
ANNA CUSACK
Anna is currently completing her Law and Politics degrees at Auckland University. Anna also serves on the Auckland University Student Association Executive (AUSA) and the University’s Senate and Discipline Committee. In 2018 Anna will be President of AUSA, representing 40,000 students, which will give her a unique opportunity to advocate for environmental action and policy, particularly for our Pacific neighbourhood.
RACHEL COOPER
Rachel loves the outdoors and tries to live every day to the fullest. She is passionate about instigating climate action. She does this in her work as a climate change journalist, researcher, and activist. Rachel loves to learn, and her degree and her involvement in the Science Policy Exchange run by the Prime Ministers Chief Science Advisor inspires her. After traveling in Nepal Rachel has raised money to rebuild two schools after the earthquake and is now starting a social enterprise which will support Nepalese farmers in adapting to the impacts of climate change.
NINA OPACIC
Nina is in her penultimate year at Victoria University of Wellington, studying towards a LLB (Hons) / BA. Throughout her degree, she has taken papers that focus on climate change and environmental issues and is writing her masters dissertation on the barriers to meaningful law reform in this area. It is a topic that she is very passionate about. She is a member of the Victoria University climate clinic and has volunteered for Generation Zero, a youth-led organisation founded with the central purpose of providing solutions for New Zealand to cut carbon pollution.