Matthew Hill (left) with US Senator Ed Markey (photo: Michal Fidler)
“With the support of the University of Florida International Center, I had the incredible opportunity to join the Campus Climate Corps in attending COP29, one of the most significant international climate conferences in the world. For those unfamiliar, the Conference of the Parties—commonly referred to as COP—is an annual meeting convened by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It brings together world leaders, scientists, policymakers, and activists to negotiate solutions for climate change through the long process of United Nations legislation.”
“My experience at COP29, held in Azerbaijan, was transformative. As an intern, I had the privilege of observing critical negotiations around climate legislation, attending high-level speeches (from Al Gore, António Guterres, and more), and interacting directly with professionals from industries like nuclear; moreover, each night I got to broadcast daily updates to a consortium of students and other listeners back home.”
Matthew Hill, pictured above the Caspian Sea
“As a Sustainability Studies major, attending COP29 represented the pinnacle of sustainability as a field: academic concepts that I’ve heard professors speak about- interdisciplinary collaboration, the value of diversity, systems thinking, and more- all came alive on a global stage. It showed how the field of sustainability is inherently interdisciplinary- it calls for politicians to engage with science, for scientists to engage with politics, and for everyday citizens to participate in international policy.”
“COP29 showed me not just the value but the necessity of collaboration for solving the climate crisis. The voices calling most passionately for change were the ones that are least often heard-young people, indigenous communities, and people from the Global South. Coming home from this conference, the one thought I had on my mind was to carry with me the energy I had experienced to fight for change, no matter the odds. The climate crisis affects all of us, and it will take all of us to solve it.”
- Mathew Hill, UF Student majoring in Sustainability Studies
Representatives from the Taliban in a common area (photo: Michal Fidler)