Oak Park and River Forest High School sent two students to Baku, Azerbaijan, to act as student delegates and observers at the 29th annual United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP 29.

COP 29 lasted from Nov. 11 to 22, with seniors Elora Cianciolo and Poppy Booth attending the conference from Nov. 11 to 16 alongside OPRF Superintendent Greg Johnson and Oak Park Village Board President Vicki Scaman, who were there from Nov. 13 to 19.

The primary focus of the conference was to renegotiate the Paris Climate Agreement in order to increase funding in developing countries to $1 trillion. Over the course of two weeks, nearly 200 countries agreed to raise $300 billion annually by 2035, a monumental rise from the previously negotiated $100 billion allotted in 2009.

“It was so amazing watching them come together…every host country is so different and all of their experiences are different,” said Scaman.

Cianciolo and Booth were chosen to attend the event along with three other Chicagoland high schoolers by It’s Our Future, a Chicagoland youth group that works toward sustainability and climate justice. The students underwent a selective and rigorous application process, and their trip was fully funded by grants awarded by the organization.

“Elora and I had been a part of It’s our Future for the past year,” Booth said. “When the leader of the organization came to Enviro Club, she really encouraged us to apply for a spot at COP.”

After a lengthy application process and several interviews, Cianciolo and Booth were selected to attend COP. “I was just so honored to be chosen…and so excited to learn and be inspired by everyone at COP,” said Booth.

For Johnson, COP represented an outstanding opportunity for Booth, Cianciolo and the other students who attended. “I love that they were chosen,” he said. “We are just so fortunate to live in an area where we value youth participation in this way.”

In preparation for the conference, Cianciolo and Booth worked alongside the other students researching their topics of interest, attending public speaking workshops and planning for their personal successes.

Booth said, “I didn’t have any expectations for COP. I was very open and knew I wanted to learn a lot. I just wanted to talk to everyone who was willing to talk with me.”

However, those at COP 29 were more than willing to speak to Cianciolo and Booth. “I think being young people really gave us an advantage. Everyone wanted to talk to us and were so excited we took this opportunity as high schoolers,” said Booth.

In fact, they were invited to speak on a panel at the Thailand Pavilion in front of 30 other attendees about the importance of youth activism and involvement.

“While I wasn’t able to watch their panel, I was told they absolutely stole the show,” Johnson said. “I was amazed at how many countries were so eager to hear about youth involvement in the climate crisis.”

All attendees took notes to share their experiences at COP 29 with those from OPRF. A frequent topic of discussion was the hypocrisy of Azerbaijan, the country that hosted the conference.

“It was at the focal point of many presentations…Azerbaijan’s economy is dominated by the petroleum and oil they produce,” said Scaman. “Lots of people were frustrated. Azerbaijan has violated so many human rights…what they do as a country is against climate change,” Booth added.

After leaving COP 29, all of the attendees left with profound feelings of inspiration and purpose. “I loved seeing how many people were dedicated to solving this problem. There was so much energy…and the conference really provided a space for that energy…and got conversations going,” said Johnson.

Booth added, “It was truly a matter of like-minded individuals coming together…if everyone tries to reverse climate change and waste less…you can make an impact. It no longer felt like it was just me…the progress COP is making every year is so important, even if it is slow.”