COP31 opens in Antalya, Türkiye on 9 November. For a lot of young people in the climate community, it will be their first. If that’s you and you’re nervous about what to expect, we asked some of our community for their advice when heading to your first ever COP.
“It’s gonna be fun. It’s gonna be amazing. It’s gonna look so unlike anything I’ve ever attended… This is what I thought when I first attended my first COP, and I wish someone held my hand and told me: you have to soak it in, you have to breathe in and breathe out.”
– Hannah Wangui MathengeTip 1: You don’t have to be everywhere
Our Youth Programmes Officer, Hannah, remembers trying to be everywhere all at once. Rushing between rooms, skipping meals, waking early and getting home late. She remembers breaking down more than once.
“You don’t have to be everywhere at any time just to feel relevant or try to reach out to everybody.”
Ayomide Olude, our former Board of Youth member, puts it simply: plan your days and build a schedule around your track and your goals. With so many sessions running at the same time, it’s the best way to stay focused and keep the FOMO in check.
Tip 2: Know why you’re there
Before you go, Hannah suggests sitting down with three questions: What do I want to achieve from this COP? Who am I looking forward to meeting? Which side events or main events actually connect to the work I do?
“These do not put so much expectation on yourself, or so much expectation on what you hope to gain.”Tip 3: Be ready for hard moments
Hannah is honest that some of it is tough. Making a point and being told it isn’t good enough. Being told you’re too young to know what you’re talking about. Standing next to people who are fully funded, while others doing meaningful work in their communities get left out.
“Sometimes our voices are so overshadowed.”
When that happens, it helps to remember who you’re there for. Hannah said it herself last year: “I am here to speak for my community, not just to attend.” Your presence is more than symbolic. You can be the bridge between the policy being written and the reality people are living.
Tip 4: Find Your People
Networking at COP can feel like everyone has an agenda and no time. The real connection often happens away from the main halls.
Ayomide’s advice: take time to connect. Go to the community lunches, the dinners and the informal gatherings. These are often where collaborations start and friendships last.
Dorcas Mugo, also a former Board of Youth member, reminds us that COP can feel overwhelming, but every conversation is a chance to learn and connect.
Tip 5: Look after each other (and yourself)
Drink water, eat proper meals, and step outside for air. Nobody can keep showing up on empty.
Ask someone to be your peer support buddy, and check in with each other throughout the day. Ask, ‘Have you eaten? Is there anything you need right now?’ – then offer that same support back to yourself.
“Navigating overwhelming schedules and finding genuine opportunities for collaboration is always the hard part. Set boundaries for yourself and above all, practise self-compassion.”
– Shamim Wasii Nyanda, Former Board of Youth MemberTip 6: Hold onto hope
Two weeks of negotiations can wear anyone down. Hannah’s answer is to hold onto what she’s hoping for: a world that’s finally listening, finally funding what needs to be funded, and more women at the decision-making table.
That hope is what keeps her going, and it’s what she wants for every other young person in those rooms.
“I hope we finally hear that we won. We finally won. We finally are doing this. We are finally moving forward.”
Want to connect with other young people all around the world who’re taking action for the climate? Join The Resilience Club – a digital community helping 18-35 year olds find their people and their power.