Jesuits schools to hold mini-COP conferences

Several Jesuit schools are coming together this month to take part in mock 'mini-COP' conferences to raise awareness of climate change.

In an initiative run by international development organisation Jesuit Missions, pupils from Stonyhurst College, Wimbledon College, St Aloysius College, and St Ignatius College will discuss key climate issues and the impact these have on communities around the world.

It is designed to run alongside the global Conference of the Parties (COP), which, this year, is being held in Turkey from 9-20 November.

"Students will step into the roles of country delegates, presenting evidence-based proposals, negotiating solutions and debating how climate finance can be shared to support those most affected by climate change," explained Jesuit Missions' Community Engagement Manager Jules Gibson.

"Together, they will explore climate justice, global responsibility and the power of collaboration to build a more sustainable future."

Each school will represent a country where Jesuit Missions supports projects aimed at protecting and improving the environment.

Representing Madagascar, those from St Aloysius will head to Stonyhurst on 4 November, where their hosts will act on behalf of South Sudan.

Pupils from Wimbledon College will also present as South Sudan when they join St Ignatius - representing India - at the London Jesuit Centre on 13 November.

Jesuit Missions has actively engaged in COPs for a number of years, including taking part in events in Glasgow at COP26 in 2021, and enabling its partners from the Centre Arrupe Madagascar to attend COP29 in Baku in 2024 and COP30 in Belém last year.

It continues to work with several climate-themed projects across the world, including the Centre Arrupe's environmental training programmes and an initiative aimed at supporting mainly female, small-scale farmers in South Sudan.