They are doctors, lawyers, students, and businesspeople. They are natives of Belém or they have relocated to the city. They are sharing a common experience: volunteering at COP30.
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“I’m volunteering because this is a one in a million experience,” Beatriz, a volunteer from Belém, a city of 1.4 million sitting at the mouth of the Amazon River delta, told Earth.Org.
More than 1,900 residents of the Brazilian city that is hosting this year’s UN climate summit were trained as volunteers, after a selection process where they had to demonstrate English skills and other competencies.
Nathália, a psychologist, decided to join the program “to learn about other cultures,” while Pedro, a recent graduate in animation, was looking for the opportunity to practice his English. Along with this experience, he hopes the UN certificate each volunteer receives will be helpful for his future. “I’m looking forward to my post-graduate career and I’m trying to experience different things,” he told Earth.Org.
“The program can strengthen community engagement, especially among young people. It can help build a more participatory, aware, and resilient society,” Flavia Castelhano, project director for the volunteer program, said in a statement.
The volunteers are helping some 56,000 attendees navigate every aspect of the conference – from catching the dedicated COP30 buses to and from the venue to giving directions within it. They also support registration and accessibility, answer technical questions, and manage meeting rooms.
COP30 volunteering is a coordinated effort connecting riverine communities that use agroecology for sustainable forest development, youth who bring clean energy to remote areas, and women in underserved neighborhoods who teach urban sustainability, according to the organizers.
Most of all, the volunteers are enthusiastic about the attention the sessions have brought to their city. “COP30 has brought a whole new look to the city,” said Beatriz. “It’s a vibe change.”
Featured image: Jan Lee.
More on COP30 from Earth.Org (click to view)
News
- Did COP30 Succeed or Fail?
- COP30 Week 2: Recap
- COP30 Week 1: Recap
- Reactions Pour in After Weak COP30 Agreement
- No Mention of Planet-Warming Fossil Fuels in COP30 Agreement
- Misinformation Becomes a Political Weapon Over Fire at COP30
- Business Coalition at COP30 Urges Transition Away From Fossil Fuels
- 83 Countries Join Call to End Fossil Fuels at COP30
- ‘People’s COP’ Marked By Civil Society Protests and Direct Action Events
- American States, Institutions Scramble to Fill Gap Left by US Absence at COP30
- Disability Activists Seek Official Recognition at COP30
- Brazilian Government Announces Ordinances to Recognize 10 Indigenous Lands
- Six Countries Pledge $58.5 Million to Adaptation Fund As UN Warns of $310 Billion Deficit
- Pope Leo Upholds Environmental Legacy of ‘Green’ Pope Francis, Urging Concrete Action on Climate at COP30
- Brazil to Demarcate Indigenous Territories Following Munduruku Protest at COP30
- COP30 Launches Global Declaration to Combat Climate Misinformation, Fake News
- Brazilian Government Seeks to Advance Discussion on Ending Fossil Fuels at COP30
- COP30: Fossil Fuel Lobbyists Outnumber Every Country Delegation Except Brazil
- COP30: Brazilian Government Puts Owners of the World’s Largest Beef Producer on ‘VIP List’
- Despite Record Turnout, Only 14% of Indigenous Brazilians Are Expected to Access Decision-Making Spaces at COP30
- Countries’ Climate Pledges Put World on Track for 12% Reduction in Emissions, UN Says
- Current National Climate Pledges Fall Far Short of What Is Needed to Limit Warming to 1.5C, Report Shows
Explainers
- COP30 Glossary: What You Need to Know About This Year’s UN Climate Summit in Brazil
- COP30 Volunteers Make World’s Biggest Climate Event Possible
- Navigating COP: A Deep Dive into the UN Climate Conference Process
- Oceans at COP30: Moving Beyond Pledges to Build an Architecture for Change
- Climate Adaptation at COP30: What to Expect
- Climate Finance at COP30: What to Expect
- Explainer: Why Gender Will Be High on the Agenda at COP30
- COP30 Volunteers Make World’s Biggest Climate Event Possible
- COP30 Youth ‘Go Bananas’ for Nuclear
Opinion
- Why COP30’s Success Depends on Comprehensive Food System Action
- Why COP30 Needs Indigenous Voices
- At COP30, Wealthy Nations Must Close the Adaptation Gap – My Home of Bangladesh Depends on It
Pre-COP30
- US Will Not Send High-Level Representatives to COP30, White House Says
- EU Agrees on Weakened Emissions Reduction Target Ahead of COP30
- 40 Elite Athletes Call for Urgent Adaptation Finance at COP30 Amid Climate Threat
- UN Climate Chief Urges Countries to Step Up Climate Action, Finance Ahead of COP30
- COP30 Host Brazil Calls For Bold National Emissions Reduction Plans Ahead of September Deadline
- COP30 Presidency Calls For Initiatives to Promote Information Integrity Amid Rampant Climate Disinformation
- Local Leaders to Tackle Climate Issues in Brazil Prior to COP30
- UN Climate Chief Says Energy Transition ‘Unstoppable’ Despite US Exit From Paris Accord, Urges Countries to Deliver on Climate Finance at COP30
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