The last Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) took place in Dubai in December 2023. It was known for having a record turnout, with around 85,000 registered delegates, journalists, representatives of civil society and the private sector. To attract so many people, what is really at stake in these negotiations? How is Cabo Verde preparing and what does it want as a result of its participation?

The term COP has almost entered common parlance. By Christmas we’ve almost all got used to seeing news about the meetings taking place under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) all over the world and warnings that we need to change our attitudes if the planet is to be saved. There are repeated calls for action and requests for funding, with the most vulnerable countries such as Small Island Developing States (SIDS) warning of the need to keep the temperature rise within the 1.5ºC limit.

But what is really at stake in these negotiations? Who are the main negotiating groups and what are their objectives? How is Cabo Verde positioning itself and what does it want as a result of its participation?

If a while ago it was just the COPs and the meetings that take place in Bonn in June to prepare for them, nowadays there are many more negotiating fora in which climate is discussed and in order for the delegations from the various countries to participate efficiently and effectively, the preparation effort is growing.

In this sense, Cabo Verde is preparing its medium-term negotiating strategy and carrying out training for its technicians, delegates and journalists in order to be better prepared to bring home good results, not only at government level, but also in civil society and with a strengthened media presence. And young people want to be heard to

We’ll find out all about it in this newsletter.

Climate – echo of the past, concern of the present, dream of the future

On the horizon of a changing world,
Climate diplomacy rises, a bridge of unity.
Young hearts, beating with vigour,
Are called to mould the future with passion and love.

In the shadows of the forests, ancient secrets whisper,
Rivers sing songs of hope in their bends and shelters.
We young people hear these distant echoes,
We respond with fervour, with vibrant dreams.

The Earth is calling us, its voice an urgent appeal,
To be guardians of a planet in flux.
Climate diplomacy is more than a treaty,
It’s a pact of life, a shared future.

In classrooms, where knowledge flourishes,
We learn about the challenges, and how the Earth suffers.
But also about the strength of our hearts,
Ready to lead, with new solutions.

In protests and marches, our presence is felt,
Every voice, a cry, a hope raised.
Fridays for Future, a movement without borders,
Young people united, transforming barriers.

Technology in our hands, a tool for creation,
Green projects spring up, the fruit of our imagination.
Innovations are born, like stars in the sky,
We develop solutions, with a faithful touch.

Governments, open the portals of inclusion,
Allow young people to participate in the decision.
Programmes, internships, endless opportunities,
So that our energy becomes an anthem at last.

Climate diplomacy is our sacred mission,
A journey that begins with every step taken.
We are the generation that carries the torch of change,
Each young person a poet, writing their own dance.

With courage and love, we chart our path,
A sustainable future, where everyone has affection.
The future is our poem, yet to be written,
And in each verse, our hope and power.

We leave our words here, an ode to action,
May every young person stand up with determination.
Climate diplomacy is more than a goal,
It’s a call to the world, where justice affects us.

With one heart, we move towards,
To a renewed world, a new vision.
Young and old, hand in hand, in harmony,
Building a tomorrow full of peace and joy.

Poem by Larissa Moreira, Children and Youth MP for Calheta de São Miguel, Santiago