I was able to visit the second week of the 27th UN Climate Conference, the Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt as a youth representative of the the European Forum Alpbach. As a climate scientist who firmly believes in acting based on the best available science my experience there was a somewhat sobering one. What I observed at the negotiations and what different delegates and observers told me was that decisions are mainly based on political considerations rather than scientific facts. Yet, in particular the increasing inclusion of also the young generation was something that might change this dynamic. 

You can read some more reflections at a blog post for University of Vienna  or at a text I wrote to together with the three other scholarship holders 
at the European Forum Alpbach FAN voices blog.

Main entrance to the blue zone of COP.

Chat with Thomas Zehetner (climate spokespersion WWF Austria).

Intervention in the party plenary by a youth representative from Gana.

Silent youth protest (shouting was not allowed) in front of the main negotiation hall.

Quo vadis climate?