GYA members Jovana V. Milić (Science Advice working group co-lead) and Executive Committee member Hussam Hussein (Royal Scientific Society, Jordan) participated in the event on “The Role of Academies in Climate Policy Advice” at the COP28 in Dubai in December 2023. The session was dedicated to exploring the role of academies in providing climate change policy advice worldwide, and was the result of collaboration between the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) and the New Voices program of the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine.
The session involved six panelists, including Jovana representing the GYA and the Swiss Young Network for Science Policy and Diplomacy; Hussam representing the Royal Scientific Society Jordan; Hussam Mahmoud, on behalf of the US New Voices; Gillian Bowser, representative of the Youth Environmental Alliance in Higher Education Network, Martijn Pakker, Head of Strategic Relations and Activities at the Institute for European Environmental Policy; and Sébastien Treyer, Executive Director of the Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations. The panel was moderated by Rania Kosti, Executive Director of IAP.
The session attracted an audience of approximately 70 participants, who actively contributed to the discussion, highlighting the need for transdisciplinary forums for international collaboration toward building trust at the science-policy interface, while emphasizing the important role of young scientists and early-career researchers and their leadership in the process. More information about the session is available via the COP28 program website, the IAP report on the event, as well as the corresponding YouTube channel.
GYA members also contributed to COP28 with a session organized in cooperation with the Royal Scientific Society of Jordan and the Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Egypt, on “Young scientists for interdisciplinary research and climate innovation”.
Panelists at this session included GYA member and co-lead of the Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction working group Hiba Baroud (Vanderbilt University, United States), Executive Committee member Hussam Hussein (Royal Scientific Society, Jordan), and alumnus Jauad El Kharraz (Regional Center for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency, Egypt), as well as speakers from the co-organisers and the Young Academy for Sustainability Research.
The session discussed the role of young scientists in addressing climate change through science-informed innovation, technology and policy, and looked at best practices of young associations and of research centers in promoting interdisciplinary research for climate innovation.
The GYA Climate Change and Disaster Risk Reduction working group also organised a webinar on “Climate Change Policy” earlier in December. Panellists discussed mechanisms and processes of climate change policy and how early- to mid-career researchers can get involved. Key players of global climate policymaking were discussed as well as the goals of international climate agreements. You can find a brief report here.