Climate Change Conference Simulation

Overview

 * Where: Pace University, Pleasantville, New York.
 * When: December 11th; 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM.
 * Who: High School & College students from the Lower Hudson Valley.
 * What: Simulation of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference & More.

The Climate Change Conference Simulation is an effort to bring a feeling of involvement and meaning to the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference taking place in Copenhagen, Denmark from December 7th-18th. By enabling the students to research the roles of the players actually involved in the real conference, and allowing them to play out those roles in simulation, we are bridging the divide between the faceless 'delegate' thousands of miles away and the student here. Those who are representing the various interests in Copenhagen (Nations & NGOs) will have a tremendous impact on each and every person in the world. There is a strong possibility that a new treaty will be yielded at either Copenhagen or next year's conference. By putting students in the shoes of those who are representing them, and essentially crafting their future, in simulation it brings new life to the real conference.

High School and University students will collaborate on December 4th in a conference simulation. They will be asked to refer to the background guides listed below to familiarize themselves with the various talking points. Students will need to research beyond what is provided for each topic in the background guide. Individual students will each be representing a nation, industry or not-for-profit organization which is listed on the delegation page. Once a delegate representative has been decided upon they will be listed next to the constituent they will be representing on the delegation page. That page will be constantly updated. If you would like to represent a constituent please email us at WorldClass@gmail.com.

After the simulation we will be holding a pitch contest for a local initiative that could be started here in Westchester County. Prizes will be awarded for the top three pitches. Each pitch must be submitted by no later than December 1st at 12:00 AM. You will be notified of your entry's acceptance by December 1st at 12:00 PM. We will be limiting the number of pitches to ten. We will be choosing the ten best pitches and then have an independent panel judge them consisting of members of the Westchester County community during the presentation.

The students of Pace University have been working with Grassroots Environmental Education to perform the How Green is Your Town surveys throughout Westchester County. We will be unveiling the results of our 'snapshot' of where Westchester County is at during the conference. This snapshot will serve as a reference point for those in attendance to understand where we stand and where we should go forward as a community.

After understanding where the world stands in the conference simulation the students will then be asked to think about what they would like to see happen here in the Lower Hudson Valley region. We will be drafting the Lower Hudson Valley Climate Change Proclamation to detail how we feel about the effects and solutions to climate change in our home region. This important document will be used to concisely express to leadership the direction we wish to go for our own future. This empowering self-advocacy for the students of the lower Hudson Valley region is the kind of action which the World Class was formed to facilitate.

8-9:00 AM

 * REGISTRATION

8:30-9:00

 * WELCOME

9:00-12:00

 * CLIMATE CHANGE SIMULATION

12:00-12:30

 * LUNCH

12:15-1:00

 * ENVIRONMENTAL PITCH CONTEST/LUNCH

1:00-1:30

 * How Green is your Town Presentation

1:30-3:00

 * THINK GLOBALLY—ACT LOCALLY: DRAFTING THE HUDSON VALLEY GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE PROCLAMATION

Background Guides
Please follow these links to the background guide you will be referencing during the simulation.


 * Finance and Equity
 * Adaptability and Infrastructure
 * Climate Change as a Security Issue
 * Transfer of Technology
 * Mitigation
 * Youth and the Future