Climate change is a complex and urgent issue that knows no borders. As a global community, we are collectively responsible for addressing this crisis that has drastic implications for the environment, economic development, public health, and more. Such is the driving principle behind, “The Climate Crisis: Working Together for Future Generations,” a new special International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) initiative launched this year. This special IVLP initiative, which ran from February 25 through March 18, brought together over 70 climate advocates from more than 60 nations to address the climate crisis and its impacts. The program aimed to establish a global community of experts, provide a forum for exchanging innovative solutions and ideas, and introduce the group to U.S. public and private-sector mitigation efforts. 

To kick off their IVLP exchange, the international participants received welcome remarks from Special Presidential Envoy for Climate, and former U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, who thanked them for their commitment to our planet and shared how the U.S. is working to combat the climate crisis both at home and on the world stage. Secretary Kerry highlighted that this initiative, “illustrates the importance that the United States places on working with our global partners on this critical issue,” and urged the participants to take pride in their roles within this inaugural program. “We need action today, not tomorrow,” Secretary Kerry implored, as he emphasized that future climate progress is predicated on present engagement. 

All participants initially convened in Washington, D.C., where they engaged in plenary sessions and meetings focused on climate policy and related topics. The program then divided into smaller regional groups to visit diverse U.S. communities throughout the country. During this time, the participants joined a plethora of climate-related activities and site visits and met with numerous government and private-sector representatives. At these meetings, the participants and their American counterparts engaged in lively discussions on a variety of topics, including methods for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, reversing deforestation, transitioning to clean energy, improving land and ocean stewardship, supporting populations and ecosystems vulnerable to extreme weather events, and more. 

The participants all reconvened in Miami, Florida for the final leg of their IVLP exchange, a city that is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and is implementing innovative programs to address the crisis. During the program, the group heard from local climate leaders like Miami Dade County’s Chief Resiliency Officer, James Murley, who discussed his county’s role as a haven for regional climate refugees as well as the necessity of providing future generations a platform to combat issues unique to Miami. They also met with local youth activists, including 17-year-old Will Charouhis, who chronicled the city’s environmental damages and issued a call to action to provide meaningful solutions. After reviewing the outlook for global climate action and sharing mitigation approaches, Charouhis expressed confidence that the international community can overcome these challenges and declared that he is “betting on humanity.”

Program partners for this year’s “The Climate Crisis: Working Together for Future Generations” IVLP special initiative include Meridian International Center, Boulder Council for International Visitors, Global Ties Arizona, Global Ties Miami, Global Ties New Orleans, Global Ties San Francisco, International Citizen Diplomacy of Los Angeles, San Diego Diplomacy Council, Utah Council for Citizen Diplomacy, Vermont Council on World Affairs, WorldChicago, WorldDenver, and WorldOregon.

The IVLP is the U.S. Department of State’s premier professional exchange program and is managed by the Office of International Visitors within the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. For more information on the IVLP and our other special initiatives, visit our website here: https://eca.state.gov/ivlp.

Original source can be found here.