Bennington Goes to COP28
Bennington College was on the ground in Dubai as the 28th round of UN sponsored climate negotiations got underway.
Diving in headfirst, students Ade Bryon ’24, Rodrigo Diaz ’25, Peace Kolomba ’25, and Mia Jay-Pachirat ’25 traveled to COP28 to participate in a protest for DeltasUNite, building capacity for youth with partners drafting a new United Nations Convention on Conserving the River Deltas (UNCCRD), led by the Nigerian African Centre for Climate Action and Rural Development (ACCARD), to meet young climate activists from around the world, to learn about the climate crisis from top scientists and national leaders, and to gain a world class education on the state of climate negotiations.
As part of the official delegation from Chile, Joaquin Paredes-Aranda ’25 was also present. Taking stock of how young people are pushing for “an equitable phase-out of fossil fuels” at COP28 and the real collaborations that are emerging, Parades-Aranda noted, “there is still space to be hopeful.” Srichchha Pradhan '22, recently recognized as “Miss Nepal,” was also present and represented her country.
Students were joined by faculty members David Bond, John Hultgren, and Director of the Center for the Advancement of Public Action Susan Sgorbati. Bond and Hultgren participated in negotiations over how to center justice in the necessary transition away from fossil fuels.
Sgorbati is the co-founder of the Transboundary Water In-Cooperation Network, a key partner along with the lead organization the African Centre for Climate Action and Rural Development out of Nigeria, the Institute for Environmental Diplomacy and Security at the University of Vermont, and the Center for Capacity Building at University of Colorado in drafting the new United Nations Convention on Conserving the River Deltas (UNCCRD). Sgorbati opened the session and co-moderated the unveiling of the new UN Convention draft on December 4. The United Nations has formally decided to move the new Convention draft forward.