Anthropology Beyond the Academy seminar with Millie May

Anthropology Beyond the Academy seminar with Millie MayInternational Climate Policy, Youth and Intergenerational Justice at COP

 

Drawing on fieldwork at COP28 in Dubai and COP29 in Baku, this talk examines how youth navigate the structural barriers that constrain their influence in international climate negotiations. It considers practices such as youth‑washing and tokenism, and how these shape the everyday realities of young people who act as key civil‑society actors holding delegations to account. The talk also highlights the social dynamics of negotiation spaces and the inventive strategies marginalised groups use to resist exclusion and assert their presence.

 

Bio:

Millie is a climate policy educator and youth engagement advocate. While studying Anthropology at the University of Cambridge, she attended COP28, reporting on negotiations and youth perspectives. She later delivered a UNFCCC‑partnered climate literacy workshop at COP29 through her work with Cambridge Zero. Millie has covered international climate negotiations for Climatalk and served on the Steering Committee of the COP29 Children and Youth Pavilion. She is now pursuing a Master’s in Environmental Policy at Cambridge and has collaborated with UNESCO and WWF on policy curriculum development and youth engagement initiatives.