Over 100 students from across Northern Ireland transformed into world leaders today at Belfast City Hall, engaging in high-stakes climate crisis negotiations to mirror the ongoing COP29 talks in Azerbaijan.
In a climate debate simulation organised by British Council Northern Ireland through the Department for Education’s International Education programme, students from 45 schools experienced firsthand the complex challenges of international climate diplomacy. Using cutting-edge simulation software developed by MIT, the pupils took on roles as delegates from major nations, corporate lobbyists, and international media representatives, all working to tackle the critical goal of keeping global warming below 1.5°C.
"This climate debate simulation puts young people at the heart of the climate conversation," said Jonathan Stewart, Director of British Council Northern Ireland. "As COP29 continues this week in Azerbaijan, these students are gaining crucial insights into the complexities of international debate on the climate, learning diplomacy and negotiation skills that will be vital for their future career pathways."
The event kicked off with a video direct from COP29 pavilion itself in Baku, with a welcome to the pupils in Belfast from Nargiz Hajiyeva, Country Director, British Council Azerbaijan, who said the climate simulation event in Belfast is an “amazing platform for negotiations where young people take part and make their voices heard.”
The debate simulation was led by climate specialists Dr Peter Doran, Senior Lecturer in Law at Queen's University Belfast, and Dr Amanda Slevin, Lecturer and Director of the Centre for Sustainability, Equality and Climate Action also at QUB.
Speaking at the event, Dr Amanda Slevin said: "Today at City Hall, we’ve seen that young people have huge energy and drive and are keen to dive deep into the complexities of international climate negotiations and work toward consensus. This simulation event is great opportunity for them to gain insights into both the scientific foundations of the climate crisis and the intricate dynamics of COP negotiations."
Speaking about the pupils she added: "They’ve all shown a high level of understanding and they're already active participants in the climate dialogue. These are the future policymakers and a generation who already know that activism for the planet is crucial”.
Pawel Czylok and Jude Wilson (Pictured above) from Lurgan College took on the role of the UN Secretaries General, helping to convene the debate.
Pawel kicked off proceedings with a stark warning to the gathered pupil delegates saying:
“We’ve all heard about the major flood recently in Valencia, Spain,but you may not have heard about the recent flood in Poland - where my family is from – where it destroyed homes and livelihoods. This just shows that not each story gets the same media coverage. In Libya, with Storm Daniel last year, they had 18-months of rain falling in one day – leading to a catastrophic flood killing over 20,000 people.”
Jude Wilson added: "This devastation shows that those who are least responsible are the most affected by climate change, and is clear injustice. At events like this we can get our voices heard. We are privileged to be here – we all have a responsibility, so let’s make a difference. ”
Did they reach a consensus?
By the end of the debate, pupils collectively agreed to keep global heating under 2.1°C by the end of the century, putting them in reach of the outer range of the ambition of the Paris Agreement. This means they were over the target, but made headway with strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, support nations, and develop adaptation measures to protect cities and people.
The simulation was part of the British Council's International Education programme, which aims to bring international perspectives into the curriculum. Students engaged in realistic debates, negotiated complex agreements, and balanced competing interests of nations both rich and poor.
Through the Climate Connection programme, the British Council is also supporting people globally to find creative solutions to climate change in support of the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan this month. The British Council is supporting the summit by engaging with networks of education professionals, students, academics, researchers, artists, civil society leaders and policymakers to participate in meaningful dialogue and bring about real change for our planet.
British Council Northern Ireland first ran this event in Belfast in 2021 and it has since been replicated across the UK and in each host nation of the UN COP. Previous simulations have demonstrated the powerful impact of putting young people at the forefront of climate action discussions. You can watch video of past events here:
This event continues the British Council’s work, building connection, understanding and trust between people in the UK and overseas through arts, education and English language teaching. To find out more about their work in Northern Ireland visit https://nireland.britishcouncil.org or follow on X/Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.
Ends
More images are available in Dropbox here: