Road to COP30: Bridging the Inclusion Gap
Estimated reading time: 4-5 min
Photo Credit: Aline Massuca/COP30
Source: https://flic.kr/p/2rEBiND
Let’s imagine: Indigenous protestors dressed in traditional attire, passionately advocating for real climate justice outside the conference center in Belém. Their voices hold anger, wisdom, and hope, demanding the protection of ancestral lands and the legacy of indigenous heroes. They chant "The answer is us" and hold signs that read "Our future is not for sale." This protest is happening in front of a tall building, where diplomats—in their impeccably tailored suits—are discussing national climate adaptation plans, with no second thought about the indigenous communities that would be affected by such a plan.
Over the next few days, the entire world will be tuned in to the most crucial event in climate change policy: the Conference of the Parties (COP) 30. It is no surprise that the COP30 is being held in Belém, Brazil, where the Amazon forest is situated. The Amazon, often referred to as the 'lungs of the world', is a vital carbon sink that helps stabilize the global climate. Sadly, due to accelerated human activity, several regions of the Amazon are emitting more carbon dioxide than they absorb (Gatti et al., 2021). This painful reality alarms us about the risk of losing precious natural resources —protected by the indigenous communities—if we do not act on climate change.
It is no surprise that this year’s COP location is Brazil, carrying the powerful message: we need to talk about indigenous voices in our conversations about the climate crisis. Although recent climate negotiations have sought to incorporate multi-sectoral perspectives and promote inclusion of frontline communities, there is a long way to go. We need to talk about the inclusion gap, especially for youth and marginalized communities.
Local Climate of Youth (LCOY) Conference
To promote active participation of children and youth in the climate space, Local Conferences of Youth (LCOYs) are held globally every year. At the LCOY Netherlands 2025, for example, participants had the opportunity to engage in meaningful conversations about climate justice and draft the National Youth Statement. In this statement, they demanded more inclusive and national climate adaptation pathways and biodiversity protection.
Sounds like a great move, right? Despite LCOY's key role in enabling youth participation, it is not guaranteed that all the demands will be met. A visibility and decision-making gap persists between youth events like LCOY and the actual negotiation table. Even though many youth delegates attend COP with observer badges, they rarely have access to the negotiation rooms as influential policy changers.
Collective Action
Is there a ray of hope? Indeed! Although bridging the inclusion gap requires participation and systematic transformations, hope remains in collective action. Did you know? The Brazilian Portuguese concept, "Mutirão" signifying the value of collective efforts for the common, can act as a powerful lesson for how we can respond to the climate crisis together. Let’s see how:
Go Local: Global change begins from the regional level. Volunteer at youth-led organizations that are actively engaged in local activities to combat climate change. Want to get involved at the Gree Office, VU? Check out for more information on how you can contribute to making sustainability accessible (Link to volunteers form: https://forms.gle/fsywFHEBbuUWv7D1A)!
Don't stop learning: Question prevailing dominant narratives and engage with ideas that challenge your thinking. Stay curious and never stop asking questions about climate change! Attend sustainability workshops– from composting to vegan cooking– and learn fun ways to act sustainably with a community.
Embrace diversity: Get to know more about the diverse indigenous knowledge systems around you. Knowledge is your superpower! Attend and participate in lectures on how climate change negatively impacts indigenous communities. Keep an eye out for Green Office, VU’s Instagram page for more information on such events. Link to GO IG: https://www.instagram.com/greenofficevu/
Share knowledge and foster dialogue: Have dinner table conversations on topics like food waste. This can be hard, especially with people who disagree with you on climate change. Embrace the conflict. Use research-backed strategies to challenge their thinking. Prompt them to think: What kind of environment would you want for your children?
Pause and breathe: Climate change is exhausting and being engaged in mitigating it could be more exhausting. Remember to pause. Share and reflect on how you feel in community spaces that hold dialogues on managing climate change anxiety.
Be the person who uses water to stop the fire, instead of fuelling it. Act today for a sustainable tomorrow!
Sources
Gatti, L. V., Basso, L. S., Miller, J. B., Gloor, M., Gatti, F. M., Doughty, C. E., Ometto, J. P., Domingues, L. G., Basso, V. M., Correia, C. S. C., Silva, C. V. J., Green, P., Araujo, A. C., Peñuela, M. C., Marrocos, P. S., & Anderson, L. O. (2021). Amazonia as a carbon source linked to deforestation and climate change. Nature, 595(7867), 388–393. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03629-6
M. Van Lange, P. A., Joireman, J., & Milinski, M. (2018). Climate Change: What Psychology Can Offer in Terms of Insights and Solutions. Current Directions in Psychological Science. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963721417753945
Massuca, A. (2025, November 10). Participantes chegam para a 30ª Conferência das Partes (COP30) [Photograph]. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/cop30amazonia/54914527405/in/album-72177720330232493
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (2017). Decision -/CP.23: Establishment of a gender action plan (Advance unedited version). UNFCCC. https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/cp23_auv_gender.pdf
United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. (n.d.). Conference of the Parties (COP). Retrieved November 11, 2025, fromhttps://unfccc.int/
Sustainable Development Goals
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a universal call to action — for all countries, whether poor, rich, or middle-income — to promote prosperity while protecting the planet (Read more: https://sdgs.un.org/goals).
This article is based on SDG 13: Climate Action (Read more: https://sdgs.un.org/goals/climate-action).
Author
Melissa Puerto studies Computer Science at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She is actively involved in promoting sustainability initiatives at the Green Office through her cutting-edge blogs on the Sustainable Development Goals.
