UGM student from Faculty of Geography, Aditya Pradana, was chosen to be Indonesian delegate in Tribal Climate Camp 2017 which was held in Washington DC, the United State from July 30 until August 7, 2017. His achievement as the Best Delegate in Youth Leadership Camp for Climate Change 2017 gave him an opportunity to attend the international climate change forum. Tribal Climate Change was attended by as many as 64 delegations from various countries. It was held as an activist platform on climate change to discuss and share experiences regarding best-practices in the environment and climate sector. The participation of Indonesian delegate was a cooperation in UNCC program: Education for Indonesian Youth among United Nations Institute for Training and Research with UNESCO Office and The Climate Reality Project Indonesia.
Tribal Climate Camp 2017 focused on the formulation of climate change adaptation and mitigation agenda for the vulnerable communities who experience the impacts of climate dynamics, particularly the local communities. The series of activities in the event were Course on Climate and Vulnerability, Workshop on Climate Forecasting, Working Team on Community Engagement and Climate Policy Strategy, Climate Communication, as well as FGD on Climate Resilience. In addition, they also conducted Community Field to Nisqually Tribes and National Park which are the pilot areas of climate-conscious local communities in Washington as well as a Field trip to Mt. Rainer National Park that experiences a glacial melting problem.
Aditya said the Tribal Climate Camp 2017 not only increases the delegates’ capacity in performing climate care action but also gives a comprehension that the role of each person and local community is very essential in pressing down the increase in global temperature below 2°C. He also said he obtained an opportunity to present the strategy of social media in performing climate campaign as well as his research and community development to solve frost disaster in Dieng Plateau which is a joint project of the team from Faculty of Geography UGM.
The participants also performed a cultural exchange in the event as well as presentation on organization’s activity on the environmental sector at UGM, which is Environmental Geography Student Association (EGSA) from Department of Environmental Geography. After attending the Tribal Climate Camp 2017, the participants are required to keep actively playing their roles in inviting the community to be pro-climate and aware to the environment. “Through this forum, we understand that cooperation among generations is required to realize the global climate change agendas that are stated in the Paris Agreement and create a more eco-friendly climate condition,” said Aditya.