COP27: 2 foreign students at Vizag GITAM to participate in UN climate conference

Visakhapatnam: Two foreign students at the Vizag campus of the Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management (GITAM) are set to attend the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change – COP27 at Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt from November 6 to 18.

The largest annual gathering on climate action is attended by Heads of State, ministers, and negotiators, along with climate activists, mayors, civil society representatives, and CEOs.

Njili Ireline Mercy Mbinoh (23), a second-year student of B. Com (Hons) at the GITAM School of Business, and Fokou Ngoumo Hilux (18), a second-year student of BCA at the GITAM School of Science, are both from Cameroon in Africa and have been actively pursuing their interests in the development space.

The students have been chosen by the United Nations to represent different organizations including MIFALI, an adolescent-led movement in Cameroon with the support of movements like Women for a Change, Cameroon and GenEgaliteECCAS. As youth leaders, they will be working with young people on themes including adolescent leadership, gender equality, and climate change actions in local communities.

"I am passionate about quality education, gender equality, affordable and clean energy, and climate action. I realized my passion after seeing all the challenges faced by my community due to this. No matter our field, origin, or age, we must all be concerned about climate change. Young people, contribute very little to the rising climatic crisis but we are disproportionately more affected," said Fokou, who is currently working on a project of developing a self-powered treadmill capable of producing its own energy.

"If the voices and ideas of young people are taken into consideration to solve the global issues of climate change, we will go a long way to achieve a clean and sustainable planet. This will greatly contribute to the reduction of energy wasted by electric treadmills and help in reducing pollution."

Njili said young people are critical and essential to this fight against climate change. "I feel excited to attend this conference because it is a safe space for me to speak for myself and my peers. I come from a community where parents will send the boy to school and girls will either be married off or start selling on the street to support the family. I am striving to make a difference and do my bit to alleviate gender discrimination," he said

During the conference, the young students will be participating in the youth pavilion and various sessions including one on how young people can use technology to reduce the negative effects of climate change.