Climate Negotiation Simulations for Saudi Youth are co-hosted by King Saud University and the European Union.
Students participate in an interactive climate change learning activity
Riyadh – Asdaf News:
The European Union Delegation to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and King Saud University brought climate negotiation simulations to around 50 students from across faculties, enabling an interactive learning format on global issues. The games took place on 4-5 March 2024 on-campus.
The simulations aimed to facilitate skills-building on negotiation techniques, multilaterism and coalition building. They also aimed to raise awareness about the importance of driving climate action and the role of individual countries to reach a global consensus.
Commenting on the collaboration, H.E. Christophe Farnaud, the EU Ambassador to Saudi Arabia said: “Climate change is a global threat for economies and societies everywhere. As a global leader in climate action, the European Union is committed to raising awareness and enabling youth to remain engaged in finding common solutions. We are delighted to partner with King Saud University to upskill Saudi Arabia’s new generation and drive discussions on some of the greatest challenges of our time.”
The games were designed based on real-world COP negotiations aimed to tackle climate change and cut CO2 emissions. The students acted as representatives of industrialized and developing countries, including GCC and Arab countries, participated in a climate summit, drafted resolutions, tabled amendments and engaged in formal and informal negotiations to reach a final agreement on climate action.
The students also benefited from dedicated sessions on international negotiations and the EU’s flagship policy, the European Green Deal, to tackle climate change globally.
The negotiations were facilitated by European coaches from Plan Politik, a German organization specialized in interactive learning formats.
In May 2022, the European Union institutions adopted the Joint Communication on a Strategic Partnership with the Gulf, which aims to o broaden and deepen the EU’s cooperation with the Gulf Cooperation Council and its Member States. The Communication presents concrete proposals to strengthen cooperation on energy, green transition and climate change, trade and economic diversification, regional stability and global security, humanitarian and development challenges, and closer people-to-people contacts. The climate negotiation simulations are part of the multiple activities, launched since the adoption of the Joint Communication, enabling the implementation of its goals.
