Climate Conference 2023

Birmingham Schools

6 December 09:30 to 14:30


The Birmingham City Council chambers and the Birmingham Bull. The Birmingham Bull was made from recycled metal for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Birmingham City Council chambers photo attributed to the council and is licensed through the Creative Commons. Photo of the Birmingham Bull is ICN’s own.

InterClimate Network (ICN) is delighted to be working with Birmingham City Council to offer a UN-style COP28 climate conference for Birmingham secondary schools. The conference will be held in the  Council Chambers on Wednesday 6 December and will:

  • Enhance critical climate thinking and bring the ‘real world’ global climate negotiations to life as they represent 16 nations as at COP28 in Dubai. 
  • Investigate local climate action and what more can be done in our schools and communities.

Free to schools, and suited to Years 8-13, places are limited (max of 16 country teams with 4 per team) so register your interest asap: schools@interclimate.org.

Conference outline

Secondary schools across Birmingham are invited to participate in this conference in the impressive Council Chambers. See this example from Solihull 2022.There is formal seating in the chambers for a maximum of 16 country teams of 4 students per ‘delegation’. Please let us know the number if additional students want to attend (swapping in, if they want) as there is also viewing room.  

Part 1: Global Negotiations

In preparation, students will be allocated countries using our COP28 Climate Resource. Their team task in advance is to research a short opening statement to present on the day. At the conference, they will debate progress towards pledged carbon reduction targets made in Paris before trying to agree more ambitious climate action by 2030. Methodologies facilitate many key life-skills from team work and public-speaking to collaboration and joint decision-making. 

Part 2: Climate Action

The focus in the second part of the conference then turns to our own national and local climate action. As well as exploring how students and schools can make a difference in support of Net Zero, a Climate Question Time is a chance for young people’s questions to go directly to local decision-makers.


Conference agenda

09:30  Register and test microphones 

09:45  Welcome & opening

Global Negotiations

1.1 Progress since Paris 2015 – statements

1.2 Raising global ambition – debate & votes

1.3 Actions and resolutions

12:15  Break

Climate Action 

2.1 Net Zero & schools’ climate initiatives 

2.2 Climate Question Time

2.3 Student feedback

14:30  Conference close

Contact details

Please register with ICN’s Schools Coordinator Rachel Shepherd via: schools@interclimate.org.

Written by
InterClimate Network

InterClimate Network