Indian Youth Delegation Application for COP 16, Cancun, Mexico

About IYCN

The Indian Youth Climate Network (IYCN) is a network uniting Indian youth and youth oriented
organisations who are concerned about climate change and environment issues. IYCN works to generate
awareness about and increase youth participation in the way India manages climate change and
environment issues.

IYCN has active members in 16 states of the country and has partner networks/ organisations in other
states of India. Registered in July 2009, IYCN has approximately 200 coordinators and volunteers with
outreach to thousands of youth in colleges, schools, corporations and institutions in India.

IYCN works at three levels:

1. As a network of individuals enabling people to come together and work at a grassroots level, to
form friendships and support each other.

2. As a coalition of partner and supporter groups who leverage off a national network of young
people passionate about the environment and development.

3. As an organisation that runs its own programs/ projects as well as participates in and supports
programs/ campaigns of other organisations.

About the Indian Youth Delegation (IYD) programme

In 2008, IYCN sent the first Indian youth delegation to COP14 in Poznan, Poland. The team returned
from the summit, charged with energy and ready to build a movement in India. Their work at an
international summit quickly translated into local action and they were able to effectively use their
experience to further climate work in India.

In 2009, a second delegation attended COP15 in Copenhagen, Denmark, which was the most-anticipated
climate summit in years. Although a deal was not signed, the 20 member delegation was instrumental in
the development of the International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM).

COP16 in Cancun, Mexico is our next milestone – the need for a FAB (fair, ambitious and binding) deal
grows more urgent with each passing day – and we need to send an extremely strong team to attend
the negotiations. We’re looking for 8 young people who will spend the next few months studying India’s
climate policy as well as work with the government and other organizations to ensure that COP16 is
fruitful.
The kind of delegate we want

The ideal COP16 delegate is extremely passionate about the environment, has a strong background
in climate change advocacy and is able to work independently. He/she is very well-versed with what’s
happening on the environment front both in India and internationally, is a team player, is very organised
and hard-working and has a thirst for knowledge.

As part of the IYD you will need to devote a great deal of time and energy towards the programme
before and after COP16. Pre-COP you will focus on strengthening your policy knowledge, liaise with the
government and other relevant organisations and work on a campaign with your teammates.

We’re looking for candidates between the ages of 20 to 28 (as of July 1, 2010) but are willing to make
exceptions. You must also be an Indian citizen or working in the country for at least six months.

The commitments you will have to make

Being part of the IYD is not something that should be taken on lightly. You will have to devote at least 4
hours a day to IYD program with time commitments increasing as the COP draws nearer. This time will
usually go in campaign work, meetings and workshops and does not include the individual work you will
have to do reading up on the latest developments, etc.

You will need to check your emails regularly and be in constant touch with the team over the phone/
Skype.

IYCN is not responsible for the finances of COP. There will be a fundraising coordinator to guide your
efforts and we will provide you with the budget and the proposal but the delegation will need to work
together to raise money to attend the summit.

Co-ordinating the trip – ensuring your accommodation, flights, etc – is also the lookout of the
delegation.

You will also need to be available for two retreats pre-COP and one post-COP. These will largely be on a
weekend and we will try to arrange them in a place that is easily accessible to all delegates but attending
them is compulsory.

Application procedure

Please fill out the following application form in a single word document and send it to iyd@iycn.in by
midnight on August 10, 2010 with the subject Application: your name. Late and incomplete applications
(missing one of the parts or a resume) will not be accepted. Your references must also be sent to the
same email address within the fixed deadline. We will be shortlisting applicants for an interview round
and we will contact them regarding the specifics. The final delegation will be announced by end-August.

Who to contact for queries

You can email us at iyd@iycn.in if you have any queries. We will answer your email within 48 hours. Just
some email etiquette to keep things simple. If you have a question, subject your email Query: your name
and if it’s your application you’re sending in keep the subject Application: your name. Thanks!

Part 1: Basic information

Name:

Date of Birth:

Gender:

Current Address:

Permanent Address:

Current educational institution and/or place of employment:

Degree/Major/Course (if applicable):

Tel (cell phone and landline):

Email Address:

Languages spoken (in order of proficiency):

Will you be available for the entire duration of the conference (November 29 to December 10, 2010)
as well as the two Conferences of Youth (COY) that typically take place two to three days prior to the
summit and one day after it ends?

Where did you hear about this programme?

Part 2: Personal statement

Please write a personal statement of no more than 500 words. Here are some basic things we definitely
want to know about – why you are interested in being part of the delegation, your prior experience
with sustainability and climate change issues, what unique/relevant perspective you will bring to the
delegation and your vision for it – but feel free to write about anything else you want us to know.

Part 3: Evaluation of skills and experience

We want to know what you’re good at! We’ve put down a list of some important skill sets; please write
down your experiences in using these. Elaborate which one is most relevant to you (if you’re a writer)
and keep your answers to the rest short, around 200 words each:

1. Communication Skills (public speaking, writing, blogging, photography, videography, etc.)

2. Computer skills (interactive web forums, publishing software e.g. Adobe, website maintenance,
 etc.)

3. Media skills (writing press releases, giving interviews, etc.)

4. Networking and relationship building with delegates and government stakeholders

5. Cross-cultural communication skills

6. Group facilitation and team building skills/experience

7. Experience creating and executing creative actions/demonstrations

8. Experience planning and managing logistics (such as organizing group transportation,

accommodation, fundraising, etc.)

9. Experience advocating for social/environmental issues (not necessarily climate) to fellow

community members, government, or the public.

10. Other relevant knowledge, experience, or skills.

Part 4: Policy

Comment on India’s domestic climate/environment policy with regard to any one of the following
sectors. The word limit for this question is 500 words.

• Energy
• Food
• Waste
• Water/ Glaciers
• Bio-Diversity/ Forests
• Carbon Finance

In 500 words, outline a policy recommendation you would want to make at COP16 on one of the
following issues:

• Clean Development and the CDM

• Finance mechanisms
• Financing and implementing adaptation
• Land-use and land-use change and forestry
• Reducing emissions from deforestation in developing countries
• Engaging rapidly industrializing countries in the UN climate change framework
• The Emissions Trading System and market-based mechanisms
• Technology Transfer and the diffusion of renewable energy technologies
• Any other international climate change policy issue
Part 5: Just some more questions (Returning delegates do not need to answer this part)

Going to COP is one thing, but how will you translate your experience into work back home?

How do you think Indian youth attending the negotiations can help bridge the gap between local
grassroots climate change action and the international policy process?

The International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM) is growing every day. How do you feel you can add to
its progress?

What role do you feel developed nations do and should play in the UNFCCC process?

What do you feel civil society should do to strengthen their role in the UNFCCC process?

What kind of actions by civil society do you feel actually have measurable impacts on policy decisions?

Part 6: For returning delegates

We will be looking to form a delegation of both returning and new delegates to ensure that we have a
range of experience. As a returning member to the delegation, we would be looking for you to take on
a greater role during the preparation process and serve as a mentor for new recruits. Your support will
particularly be needed in efforts such as fundraising and training.

Answer the following questions based on your experience at a previous COP.

1. How do you think Indian youth attending the negotiations can help bridge the gap between local
grassroots climate change action and the international policy process?

2. What role do you feel developed nations do and should play in the UNFCCC process?

3. What do you feel civil society should do to strengthen their role in the UNFCCC process?

4. What kind of actions by civil society do you feel actually have measurable impacts on policy
decisions?

5. What role you see yourself taking up in the new delegation.

6. The role you have played in the International Youth Climate Movement (IYCM) post the COP you
attended.

7. The work you have done with IYCN pre and post the COP you attended.

8. Your vision for IYCN with regard to the IYD programme. We’re essentially looking to understand
how you feel the IYD will strengthen and support IYCNs work, whether it is important for us and
so on.
Part 7: Curricular vitae

Please include your resume in this application. Don’t send it as a separate attachment but paste it here
instead.

Part 8: References

Please have two people write to us directly at the email address provided with your name in the subject
line. Ask them to mention their relationship to you and to tell us why they feel you will be an asset to
the delegation. Please note that you cannot ask family members or friends for references, they have to
be someone you have studied under, worked with and so on.

Some useful links you can refer to:

www.iycn.in

http://unfccc.int/2860.php

www.cc2010.mx/

http://moef.nic.in/index.php