Written by Druvi, Year 10
On the morning of Monday 18th November, our team, representing Uganda, took the mini-bus to the Oxford Town Hall, ready to represent Uganda for Oxford High School at the Oxfordshire Schools Mock COP. The majestic building mirrored the weight of the discussions that were about to take place, as students from across Oxfordshire gathered to negotiate, debate and advocate for real solutions to the climate crisis. Together with my teammates: Amélie L, Amalie H, Maya R, Ally T and Lucinda J. We were determined to give Uganda a powerful voice in the room.
Walking into the town hall, with a buzz of excitement. Teams from other schools prepared to represent their countries ranging from the United States to Azerbaijan to the Marshall Islands. For us, stepping into the shoes of Ugandan delegates meant bringing attention to the voices of the country.
Throughout the day, we worked together seamlessly, each of us bringing something unique to the table. Representing Uganda was an amazing opportunity as it had previously been a topic of our GCSE course. In the week leading up to the event, we dove deep into understanding the country’s unique challenges and climate realities. Uganda, though a low-emitter, is on the frontlines of climate change, facing severe impacts like unpredictable rainfall, droughts and flooding. These environmental crises jeopardise agriculture and livelihoods in a country where the majority depend on farming to survive. One of the most contentious issues we explored was the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP), a project that has brought global attention to Uganda. Our group made trades with countries such as the USA.
Overall, it was a fantastic experience to meld with different schools and being involved with something out of your usual comfort zone. Representing Uganda challenged us to think globally, negotiate and passionately advocate for those most affected by the crisis. We were left inspired and determined to carry forward the lessons and knowledge we learned and make a real impact in our own communities.