CLAS graduate student Mason Haynes (left) traveled to Belém, Brazil, to represent Georgetown at COP30, joining fellow School of Foreign Service students Manon Fuchs, Clemente Gilardini, and Amineh Najam-ud-din. During the conference, Mason also attended various panels focused on how Indigenous communities, particularly in Latin America, are confronting climate change through efforts such as combating deforestation, organizing grassroots activism, securing financing for restoration projects and shaping Nationally Determined Contributions for Indigenous groups.
Reflecting on his experience, Mason said, “The week blended learning from local leaders and academics on climate challenges with experiences of Brazilian culture through food, music and conversations with residents. As a CLAS student, it was especially impactful to use my language skills in Spanish and Portuguese to discuss building a just future for our planet with people from around the world. While I would have liked the outcomes of this conference to be more impactful for our planet and its people, it did provide a platform for communities that have historically been underrepresented. We must take concrete steps to turn these words on paper into genuine efforts to combat climate change.”