Samuel C. Okorie, POP Youth Mentor and Ambassador for Africa and pioneer of the POP Nigeria Initiative, joined the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, from November 6, 2022, to November 18, 2022. He actively facilitated and participated in demonstrations, side events, bilateral discussions, and other activities with the major goal of driving focus on Loss and Damage. 

He shares his experience at the COP27 below: 

The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, known as COP27, was the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference, held from November 6, 2022, to November 18, 2022, in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt. The conference featured bilateral dialogue, workshops, training, side events, and negotiations, all centered on addressing climate change and finding sustainable solutions and options to reduce global emissions to 1.5 degrees Celsius. The conference had over 100 heads of state and a total of 66,000 accredited participants across the globe.  

COP27 could be summed up in a few words: it kept the 1.5 degree target alive; it showed the power of unity in diversity, which helped to rebuild trust and working relationships and support between the Global North and Global South; and it was all-inclusive with major participation from the youth.  

The major agenda items that spotlighted the interests of all parties are loss and damage, just transition, adaptation and mitigation, water and food security, and youth inclusion. Six multistakeholder high-level roundtable discussions were convened to help accelerate discussions and arrive at COP27 cover decisions. On November 16, 2022, the governments of Egypt, Germany, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) launched the ENACT (Enhancing Nature-based Solutions for an Accelerated Climate Transformation) initiative. The initiative, which will provide an annual state of nature-based solutions report, is intended to coordinate and upscale the use of nature-based solutions (NbS) in addressing climate change, biodiversity, land degradation, etc. 

My COP27 experience, I would say, was a life-changing experience and result-oriented. Prior to COP27, I had people talk about the failure of the previous COPs, where there were lots of commitments and pledges but a lack of implementation and transparency. In the lead-up to COP27, I was appointed to be the contact point for YOUNGO-UNFCCC Loss and Damage and was able to facilitate a bilateral dialogue between the European Union (EU) Government and YOUNGO-UNFCCC Loss and Damage Working Group on climate change-induced losses and damages. During the bilateral dialogue, we submitted our position paper on loss and damage, which includes the immediate establishment of a separate fund for loss and damage and the operationalization of the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, which was acknowledged by the EU and contained in the recommendations highlighted in the position paper of the EU for COP27. Also, we facilitated another bilateral discussion with the German Members of Parliament on climate change-induced loss and damage, and the position of Germany in addressing the climate change crisis, and their demands for COP27. 

COP27 was really overwhelming, with over 100 side events and 66,000 participants, including about 100 heads of state. First, I would like to appreciate the tremendous efforts of the POP Movement and GLOBE for making my participation in COP27 a reality. My major goal was to make sure that our demands for loss and damage were met and to participate fully in the process. Even though I encountered some setbacks, I was astonished by all the amazing activities and glamouring beauty of Sharm El Sheikh and wished I could duplicate myself to participate in all the activities as well as visit lots of places and have fun. However, as the YOUNGO-UNFCCC contact point on Loss and Damage, we had lots of work to do, which included the following: follow-up with negotiations on loss and damage, networking with people, lobbying for our demands to be met, scheduling bilateral discussions, and facilitating loss and damage protests to get attention. With the support from different youth groups, I was able to facilitate some bilateral dialogues, lead the demonstrations for loss and damage finance for weeks one and two of COP27, and co-moderate the bilateral discussion between YOUNGO and the COP27 President, H.E. Sameh Shoukry, which was productive. I also spoke at different side events at COP27 on loss and damage, wetland conservation, environmental governance, policy mapping and youth inclusion, among others. At COP27, I was featured on different global media platforms, including the official media pages of COP27, UNICEF, the ONE Campaign etc. Part of the result of my engagement at COP27, which happens to be my first COP, was the adoption of a loss and damage fund for the most vulnerable communities, the operationalization of the Santiago Network on Loss and Damage, which was my major demand for climate justice etc.  

With a focus on demanding climate justice, facilitating climate change dialogues and negotiations, and promoting climate action and youth mobilization for climate justice, COP27 granted me a global platform and a great opportunity to amplify youth voices and spotlight youth-led climate action globally.  

 Participating in COP27 provided me with the opportunity to leverage a wide range of networks and support systems in demanding climate justice, as well as shape my worldview in taking well-informed, coordinated action in addressing climate change-induced disasters that cause loss and damage; engage in meaningful and strategic engagement with stakeholders and policymakers; and connect with global youth leaders in protecting our planet and making our demands known to global decision-makers. 

Attached here is a link for your perusal including my engagement at COP27 which contributed to the adoption of the Loss and Damage Fund:  

COP27: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1rOJk7AD1IZ46KZnH2TqczVitNX-sAC2g?usp=share_link