We asked Daniela Kunkel-Linares, our former Senior Youth Coordinator and Libby, our former Youth Environmental Activists! (YEA!) member and Youth Team Intern to reflect on their time in the program and their relationship as they move on to new adventures. They took the opportunity to write letters to each other. The following reflects the power of co-mentorship models in youth work.
I really cannot believe it has been three years since I first logged onto my first YEA meeting. Three years that can be measured in hours on zoom meetings and in the sunny room, or in Alma receipts, or in big giggles and big cries. Three years that have been filled with Youth Climate Justice Summits, wins and disappointments with the Climate Justice Education Bill, a trip to New Orleans, and a lot of learning. So many things come to mind when I think about YEA and what it has meant to me, but I think the thing that has stood out the most to me has been the relationships I have built.
When I started at Climate Generation, Jason and Sarah (former youth staff and mentors/friends to me) introduced me to the idea of co-mentorship. I had never heard about it before but the more I learned, the more I realized it was a model of youth work that I had been practicing.
It is a youth work model that believes that youth and adults can practice relationships of mutuality and reciprocity that counters the dominant narrative that adults have things to teach children and children have things to learn from adults. It allows us to lean into the belief that we all have something to learn from each other, no matter our age.
Co-mentorship and all relationship work is some of the most transformative parts of movement work. White supremacy culture demands shallow and transactive relationships. Mentorship and deep relationships are the antidote to white supremacy and is essential to successful movement work.
As Aurora Levins Morales writes in her GOATED essay The Politic of Childhood, “the oppression of children is the wheel that keeps all other oppressions turning. Without it, misery would have to be imposed afresh on each new generation instead of being passed down like a hereditary illness.”
To combat white supremacy culture we MUST treat our young people differently. We have to encourage, model, and embody relationships that are trusting, mutual, reciprocal, loving, understanding, and filled with gratitude.
Practicing co-mentorship has created some of the most meaningful relationships I have with young people. My relationship with Libby being one of them. Libby and I have gotten to know each other over the last three years. Libby was a youth participant in the YEA program and has been interning with CG this past year. As we both transition to new opportunities we took some time to reflect on what this experience together has meant to us.
Libby’s Letter
Dearest daniela,
Where even to begin! I can’t even picture what my life would be like if I didn’t meet you. The serendipity of our lives intersecting when they did leaves me in awe. Being able to grow alongside you for the past three years has been a great joy in my life that will be forever a part of how I interact with the world every day. When I first met you I was a junior in high school without any idea of what my life would be, just starting to learn what a community could be through YEA! You had just graduated from college and moved out of Redmond. Now I am going to be a sophomore in college moving into Redmond with a lot more of a grasp on who I am but also the endless journey that it is to figure that out; while you are also moving on to the next step in your life, as we both step away from a place that has been so important to us both. There will never be a day that I see Alma, or Redmond, or a yellow bike, or Nolte, or the writing center, or a garden without thinking of you. I have learned so much about how to live a meaningful and rich life just by existing alongside you. You inspire me so much with your care and ability to connect.
I remember when I was first talking in front of the legislature at the capital. I was so scared. I knew that I could look over and see your kind face smiling back at me, and that gave me the courage to do something so scary. You also were the first person to walk me through campus when I was deciding I would be going to the University of Minnesota. I had never imagined that would be the school I was going to but walking around with you and hearing you talk fondly of your time made me feel okay about it. Without your support I would never have been able to accept that part of college with such open arms.
Also, it is truly amazing how we have been able to be at such different places and yet find so much common ground and be there for each other. Everything feels so full circle and so meant to be. Every Wednesday when I saw you sitting in one of the booths it felt like a weight was lifted. Needless to say I looked forward to it every week. I felt so honored to be able to have that time with you. I truly believe that this past year taught me so much about connection and how important it is to me. It was all the little moments that show how insightful you are and of how you helped me grow as a person. Together we were able to truly reflect and grow and work on becoming better organizers and more forgiving people. The vulnerability we shared while interrogating whiteness, taught me that tough conversations can be the most important ones, and people are imperfect, and it is okay to be imperfect. I deeply connected with doing the next best thing and learned to allow perfectionism to fall at the wayside and to lean into what is truly important to me.
I think it is most telling that all the people in my life know about daniela. My gratitude goes beyond anything that I could write down in a letter. You truly have been the older sister I never had, and I will always hold that love with me. I am wishing you all the best in your next adventure. I am so proud of you and so excited for you! And I will miss you endlessly.
All my love,
Libby
Daniela’s Letter
Libby!
Can you believe that it’s been three years! I can’t! Time has moved both so fast and so slow over these years. So much has changed and also stayed the same. It’s funny to think about how things in life feel cyclical. When we met I was just finishing up at the U, living on University ave, and obsessed with Alma. And now, here you are! About to start year two at the U, living on University ave, and obsessed with Alma. I am so proud of you and all the ways I have watched you move into deeper alignment with yourself, your values, and your community over the last three years.
I so vividly remember meeting you IRL for the first time at the youth strike. It was pouring rain, I was nervous to meet you all, and the staff at the capital were giving us such a hard time about the sound. The day was hectic and exciting and I remember you being so immediately open to trusting me to support you. I feel so grateful for that moment because it helped me lean into my new role.
I also remember the conflict that happened that day with another organizer. I remember there were a couple YEA meetings you missed and wondering if everything was okay. When we connected about that experience, I was so honored to have gotten to hear your insightful reflection. You talked so much about ego in a way that reminded me of the deeply personal work that being in community asks of us. It was so clear to me that you were wanting to do that work, and that is something so incredible about you. You know so intuitively what it takes to be in community and you are so open, so adaptive to feedback, and so caring to yourself in how you do that work.
I am so grateful for all the things that we have gotten to do together! Several Youth Climate Justice Summits, a lot of time on Zoom and in the sunny room, going to New Orleans, and of course so much Alma time! I am so grateful that my time at YEA has been consistently filled with time and experiences, and learnings with you. We have both grown so much, it’s been so meaningful to reflect together on that. I think it is so incredible how much we have been able to connect with each other.
We have explored co-mentorship through our time as a youth participant and a youth mentor, and as co-workers, and now as we transition to a non-work friendship! We have found ourselves, at each iteration, grounded in a relationship of reciprocity, gratitude, and mutuality. The transition from you being in the program to being alumni was definitely one that I was unsure about. I was unsure how we would shift to different boundaries, different needs, and different experiences.
And it has been so incredible. This year, being able to talk so vulnerably about whiteness, organizing, and solidarity together. I know we were only able to talk about those things so openly because of the scaffolding we had built over the previous two years. I learned so much from you about meeting people we love in our lives with curiosity and encouragement. I am constantly reminded by you that it is okay to wear my heart on my sleeve. I have learned so much from you about building real trust with each other. There were so many moments of honesty and care that were such reminders to me that trust is built over time. It is made of many moments of showing up consistently, sharing joy, and learning about each other’s lives. I am so grateful to you for that reminder.
Libby, I am so excited for us both as we move to new things, and I can’t believe it’s the end of both of our times in YEA. I will miss you and YEA so much. I knew going into youth work that the thing that was most meaningful to me was the relationships I would get to build with young people. I am so grateful for this friendship. I can’t wait for the next time we find ourselves at Alma again! Thank you for everything!
<3 daniela
The post Letters to my co-mentor: reflections on building meaningful relationships in a scary world appeared first on Climate Generation.
Letters to my co-mentor: reflections on building meaningful relationships in a scary world
This is a republication of November’s edition of The Climate Agenda – a subscriber-only newsletter designed to keep you informed of the key events, negotiations and announcements happening every month. If you want to receive The Climate Agenda straight to your inbox at the start of each month, sign up as a subscriber today.
COP31 begins in one week, and we’ll have five specialist reporters on the ground in Antalya, Türkiye, bringing you every development as it happens. From the negotiations to leaders’ speeches and side events, we’ll be there to dissect what it all means for international climate policy on electrification, just transition, adaptation finance and much more.
Here’s what you need to know for November, why it matters and what to expect.
US midterm elections
Tuesday 3 November – United States
The geopolitical highlight for the first week of November is the US midterm elections, which will show whether American voters are in any mood to forgive President Donald Trump for failing to bring down the cost of living. From an energy perspective, his pro-oil and gas stance hasn’t led to cheaper prices for consumers, pushed up by the US-instigated Iran conflict. And his diesel deal with Russia won’t yet have made a difference at the pump.
The key issue for climate and energy policy is whether the Republicans hold onto their governing trifecta. If so, then expect continued dismantling of regulations that protect the environment, as well as strong backing for fossil fuel production. If the Democrats regain control of Congress, which polls suggest is possible, it could trigger a push to restore Biden-era clean energy tax credits, and support states wanting to restart mothballed wind and solar projects.
Data centres have been a hot-wire issue, with growing community opposition to their expansion – partly due to concerns over rising utility bills as the facilities gobble power. Whether Republicans or Democrats win Congress, both are likely to make tech firms pay for the extra electricity production they need, with the latter favouring renewable sources.
Governor races are also taking place in key states for climate issues, including Democrat-run California, which has used the courts to fight Trump’s attacks on clean energy.
Read more: National climate plans now promise half the emission cuts expected by UN
Read more: The more Europe relies on the US for energy, the more it’s vulnerable to pressure by Trump
COP30 Deforestation and Fossil Fuel Transition Roadmaps
Tuesday 3 November – Brazil
Brazil is set to unveil two global roadmaps: one for transitioning away from fossil fuels, the other for ending deforestation.
The COP30 presidency promised them in the dying hours of the Belém summit last November as a last-minute fix to break a political impasse. Since then, it has been consulting with countries, experts and campaigners around the world to gather ideas and sketch out the elements to include in these blueprints.
Don’t expect the roadmaps to offer any new global targets or give direct instructions on what countries must do, either to cut fossil fuel production and consumption or better protect forests. Rather, Brazil has said the documents will identify barriers and priority actions, highlight existing mechanisms and present a range of options that can be adapted to different national contexts.
It remains unclear what will happen with the reports once they are delivered on Tuesday. At the Bonn talks last June, a group of European and small island nations called for the roadmaps to be brought into the official negotiations, warning that a one-off report won’t cut it. But such efforts would undoubtedly face stiff opposition from fossil fuel-producing nations that objected to drafting the energy transition roadmap within the formal UN process last year.
Read more: European, island states seek clear future for global roadmap to cut fossil fuels
Read more: COP30 roadmap to end deforestation will invite countries to draft domestic plans
Read more: What we need to see in the roadmap to transition away from fossil fuels
UNEP Adaptation Gap Report
Wednesday 4 November – Nairobi, Kenya
The UN Environment Programme (UNEP) will publish its annual assessment of how well the world is planning, implementing and – crucially – financing measures to cope with worsening climate impacts.
Past editions have made for grim reading. Last year’s report warned of a widening gap between what developing countries need for adaptation and what they can access. It estimated they will need $310–365 billion a year by 2035, which is 12 to 14 times current international flows. The report also found that a goal of doubling international public adaptation finance by 2025 was likely to have been missed.
This year’s edition will be closely watched with adaptation expected to be a big-ticket item at COP31. Governments are likely to discuss the specifics of a commitment to triple adaptation finance for developing nations by 2035, agreed at COP30 last year – particularly what the baseline for that pledge is. Negotiators will be debating how to track progress against the 59 indicators of the Global Goal on Adaptation.
Read more: Editor’s Desk: Nepal’s disaster has laid bare the world’s adaptation accountability gap
Read more: Bonn climate talks end in “gridlock” on adaptation and emissions-cutting
Read more: New data shows rich nations likely missed 2025 goal to double adaptation finance
COP31 Climate Conference
Monday 9 November – Friday 20 November – Antalya, Türkiye
The climate community’s attention turns this month to Antalya for the annual UN climate summit. From the outset, COP31 will have an unprecedented, and potentially explosive, set-up: Türkiye is COP president overseeing the non-negotiated Action Agenda, while Australia runs the negotiations.
Billed, once again, as an “implementation COP”, the talks come amid a global energy crisis largely sparked by the actions of the US government, which is not expected to show up on the Turkish Riviera. It is also the first COP in the era of climate overshoot, coming just weeks after the UN officially confirmed the 1.5C warming limit will be breached and set out a narrow pathway to bring temperatures back down to the most ambitious Paris goal.
Unlike most recent COPs, the formal negotiations lack a clear headline item. Countries are due to establish and define the scope of the Just Transition Mechanism agreed in Belém last year, including its rules, governance and possible funding arrangements. On adaptation, vulnerable countries want a clearer path to delivering last year’s pledge to triple finance by 2035 and to putting the new progress indicators to work on the ground.
Governments are also likely to clash over next steps on the transition away from fossil fuels, and especially over whether the mitigation work programme – the forum dedicated to emission-cutting measures – has any future beyond this year.
Notable events to look out for in Antalya:
Opening session (9 November): The summit kicks off with the customary first-morning plenary. After the usual pageantry from the host nation, negotiating blocs and individual countries will deliver statements setting out their stall for the next two weeks. Watch out for a potential fight over the summit’s agenda – perhaps on issues relating to finance and trade following submissions requesting additional items – also a COP tradition.
Electrification (10 November): On Energy Day, the Turkish presidency is expected to formally launch its flagship electrification pledge, revealing which countries have signed up. Signatories will voluntarily commit to raising electricity’s share of global final energy consumption to 35% by 2035, though the current text does not require that power to come from clean sources. There is also a question mark over whether and how this can be included in the political cover decision the COP co-hosts have said they will aim to produce.
Leaders Summit (11-12 November): Heads of state and governments will jet into town for the traditional high-level segment in the middle of the first week, where world leaders typically talk up their climate record, air their grievances and call for more action.
Relatively few powerful leaders are on the list this time. Brazil’s Lula is set for another star turn this year, fresh from his surprise election win in October. The UK’s Andy Burnham, Spain’s Pedro Sanchez and China’s vice-premier Ding Xuexiang are expected, alongside Türkiye’s Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Australia’s Anthony Albanese. In addition, African and small island nations will feature prominently.
Our COP31 Briefing newsletter will offer a more in-depth preview of the talks later this week.
Read more: Early speakers’ list suggests few powerful leaders will attend COP31
Read more: COP31 electrification pledge leaves out clean power commitment
Read more: From Belém to Antalya – gains, gaps and challenges for a new Just Transition Mechanism
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Shipping Talks
Monday 23 November – Friday 4 December – London, United Kingdom
One year on from explosive talks in which Trump’s officials teamed up with Saudi Arabia to delay a deal to make the shipping industry greener, governments will gather on the banks of the Thames for another attempt to reach agreement.
The Net Zero Framework, provisionally agreed in October 2025, includes a series of emissions reduction targets for the owners of large ships along with penalties for not meeting them, rewards for doing so and measures to make the maritime transition fair.
The framework is likely to be either tweaked or radically rewritten so that it’s more acceptable to the US and Saudis. Brazil and Japan have submitted compromise proposals. Analysts find those will move shipping further away from being able to meet its climate goals.
There will be closed-door talks between November 23-27 and a second week of talks open to accredited media from November 30 to December 4. Agreement on a proposal, perhaps decided through a vote, is expected after long and technical negotiations. The shipping industry’s 3% share of the world’s emissions is at stake.
Read more: London talks raise hopes for green shipping deal
The post What’s on the climate calendar for November 2026? appeared first on Climate Home News.