Aryaana Khan and Hakim Evans on COP26 and the climate emergency

A sobering and inspiring episode where Aryaana Khan and Hakim Evans from NGO ACE (Action for the Climate Emergency) share a rare insight into the workings of the much-discussed COP26 climate conference in Glasgow. They describe what was missing, what was inspiring and what they'd like to see come out of the next: COP27 in Egypt.

We discuss the effects of climate change on both Aryaana's homeland of Bangladesh, and Hakim's of Jamaica, then hear how New York City is now very much also affected by the climate emergency.

What motivates young people to stop what they are doing, to get involved in fighting for climate justice, and to learn to engage young and old in this most urgent of debates?

And what type of world would both Aryaana and Hakim like us to create together?

Expect to be shocked, angered, inspired and to come away empowered with the knowledge that you too can in your daily actions make a difference.

About the show:

Problem Busters is a show that explores solutions to the biggest and the smallest of problems. Hosts Jonathan Goodwin and Oliver Happy discuss making the world a better place with guests from far and wide.

About our guests:

Aryaana Khan is a Youth Climate Organiser and ACE Fellow, born and raised in Bangladesh and recent delegate to COP26 in Glasgow Scotland. She is joined by returning guest Hakim Evans, a Senior Fellow with ACE and Founding Board Member of Climate Emergency Advocates. Both inspiring guests are based in Queens, New York City.

Show mentions:

• Growing up in Bangaladesh and moving to NYC in 2010.
• ACE Alliance for the climate education has rebranded to Action for the climate emergency.
• Why the new name? It speaks to the scale we need to address the issue - it is a climate emergency.
• Global Kids - the first NGO Aryaana worked with
• ACE had local fellowships all across the U.S. - including NYC.
• Learning how to teach and engage people in the climate debate.
• Words like the climate emergency have been so necessary to shift the discussion to the urgency of the situation.
• Aryaana's story: Growing up in Dhaka (capital city of Bangladesh). I started life with mango trees outside my window and I saw the growth of the city. It was beautiful yet jarring.
• Experiences of climate change in NYC
• Much of Long island is already under water. Hurricanes, insane storms.
• Parallels between growing up in NYC with Bangladesh and Jamaica
• Educating people and empowering them
• How to decide who to talk to about the climate emergency
• Helping people find their story
• COP26 Glasgow and what it was. What was Glasgow like as an event?
• Being on the ground at COP26 and reflections on it
• COP26 Glasgow: the horse and pony show
• NYC and The climate and community act
• Things young people are doing to bring change and the role of covid
• What can people at home do? - focus on the biggest issue.
• What is a food desert?
• ACE Creator Collective - getting the message out there over Tik Tok.
• ACE Launching action teams.
• The big message: don't stress out
• The kind of world Aryaana and Hakim would like to create

Logo and concept by Christy O'Connor

Image credit: ACE acespace.org