TALENT ALERT: COP31: Australians heading to Türkiye and available for interview
Climate Media Centre
Antalya plays host to COP31 and is where key global rules on climate and energy are set, and Australia is running the negotiating room. As President of Negotiations, and a middle power with real influence, Australia can help broker agreement between countries at a time when global cooperation is strained.
The following experts and case studies below are attending COP31 in Antalya and are available for interview.
They include First Nations leaders, farmers, youth delegates, climate finance specialists and even a nine-year-old attending her fourth COP.
The Climate Media Centre can arrange interviews, before or during the conference. Contact Gabrielle Platt on +61 0493 442 306 (also available on Whatsapp) or via [email protected]
Time difference: Antalya is 8 hours behind AEDT.
Experts available to speak on First Nations rights and climate justice:
Tamika Sadler, Climate & Country Campaign Director at Common Threads
Tamika is a Gubbi Gubbi, Torres Strait Islander and South Sea Islander woman. She can speak to the First Nations-led delegation of Traditional Owners, community leaders and young people taking part in the negotiations and Indigenous Peoples Caucus discussions. Common Threads is calling for an end to fossil fuel expansion, stronger protections for Country and cultural heritage, direct climate finance for Indigenous-led solutions, and recognition of First Nations rights and self-determination in climate decision-making. With Australia taking a leading role at COP31 alongside the Pacific, Tamika can also speak to calls for the Australian Government to match its international commitments with action at home.
Larissa Baldwin-Roberts, Co-Founder and CEO of Common Threads
Larissa is the Indigenous People Caucus Co-Chair for COP31 & COP32.
The International Indigenous Peoples Forum on Climate Change (IIPFCC) is the official Indigenous Peoples' constituency within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Larissa co-founded and leads Common Threads, an Indigenous organisation focused on transforming the capability of First Nations social movements to usher in systems change through Indigenous approaches to campaigning and self determination.
Experts available to speak on farming, food and fuel security:
Maggie Jarrett, organic winery owner at See Saw Wine, Orange NSW
Maggie can speak to the impacts of a changing climate on Australian agriculture and how a vineyard business sets itself up to adapt. She can also speak to why food systems and agriculture are not being talked about enough in the climate conversation, and why climate change on farms affects everyone through food and fuel security.
Georgia Campbell, Farmers for Climate Action
Georgia can speak to farmers being on the frontline of climate change while also being uniquely positioned to help mitigate and adapt to it. She can speak to the need for climate finance to reach farmers directly.
Experts available to speak on climate and health:
Emma Bacon, Executive Director of Sweltering Cities
Emma can speak to heat impacts ahead of the coming Australian summer and the need for greater ambition on both mitigation and adaptation. She can speak to how Australia compares with other countries in managing heat impacts and what the Australian Government should be doing in response.
Bianca Lau-Goodchild, Climate and Health Alliance youth delegation, Brisbane
Bianca can speak to the priorities of both young people and the health sector at COP31. She is calling for the climate crisis to be treated as a health crisis, for greater investment in young people through capacity-building and education, and for keeping 1.5°C within reach.
Experts available to speak on the COP process, climate law and accountability:
Professor Jacqueline Peel, University of Melbourne and COP Universities Alliance
Jacqueline is an expert in international climate law. She can speak to Australia’s role in the negotiations, the value of COPs, and this year’s focus on science integrity, 1.5°C and accountability.
Tessa Fluence, Environmental Justice Australia
Tessa can speak to the Hard Truths case, in which ten climate disaster-affected Australians have filed a human rights claim against the Australian Government over fossil fuel exports. The claimants include First Nations people, people with disabilities and chronic health conditions, and people living in social housing, significantly affected by fires, floods, algal blooms, sea water inundation and extreme heat. Tessa can speak to what the claimants want from the Australian Government and how the case builds on global legal momentum, including the ICJ Advisory Opinion.
Experts available to speak on climate finance and clean energy:
Si Qi Wen, Climate Policy Lead at Plan International Australia
Plan International is a girls’ rights organisation with climate programming in the Solomon Islands, PNG and Fiji. Qi follows climate finance, adaptation and loss and damage negotiations, and can speak to girls’ rights and gender. She is calling for Australia to announce a five-year climate finance target of $11 billion, for the COP31 cover decision to include a child rights mandate, and for the loss and damage fund to be filled with rapid-response and community-access pathways.
Hayden Starr, Marketing, Communications & Media Lead at the Clean Energy Investor Group
Hayden can speak to amplifying the role of clean energy and promoting Australia as a clean energy success story and an investment destination for further clean energy development.
Youth and children’s voices available for interview:
Grace Vegesana, National Director of the Australian Youth Climate Coalition
Grace is attending on behalf of AYCC, Australia’s largest youth-run organisation and a UNFCCC observer, which helped found the UN youth constituency YOUNGO 15 years ago. She co-founded the People of Colour Climate Network and sits on the first International Climate Youth Advisory Council to the Australian Government. She is advocating for a fossil fuel phase-out, a just transition to renewables, and young people’s capacity to lead change locally, domestically and internationally.
Nikki Ballinger, youth delegate for AYFICE
Nikki is an engineering graduate focused on renewable energy integration. She can speak to representing the Australian youth voice at COP31 and is calling for greater commitment to renewable energy and meaningful movement away from fossil fuels.
Niamh Kealy, DCCEEW Youth Advisory Council, Sydney
Niamh is supporting the PYCC and bringing young people together at COP31. She can speak to intergenerational justice, what youth are calling for this year, and why youth voices matter at COP31.
Zikr Devjee, incoming 2027 President of the University of Queensland Climate & Energy Society
Zikr is 19, an International Relations and Languages student, and a Brisbane Global Shapers Hub member attending as part of the Global Shapers Community Delegation. He is following the Ocean and Action for Climate Empowerment negotiation streams and can speak to strengthening international climate collaboration and youth participation in Australia.
Ali S Khan, Community Lead at Asians for Climate Solutions
Ali is also Operations Director for ACYLC and a facilitator at Climate Writers. He is supporting Australia’s youth coalition and helping organise events around the convention. He is calling for greater investment in green and sustainable materials and technology, and for youth and multicultural voices to be brought to the forefront of climate conversations.
Aditi Tiwari, Global Shapers Wellington and Oceania-Caribbean Climate Alliance, Aotearoa New Zealand
Aditi is bringing the Aotearoa Youth COP Statement to the negotiations, engaging with negotiators, youth networks and civil society organisations. She is calling for stronger global commitments to phase out fossil fuels, increased and accessible climate finance for Pacific communities, and meaningful participation of youth and Indigenous peoples.
Euri Gui, 9, Year 4 student at Caulfield Junior College, Victoria
Euri has been attending COP since 2022 and is passionate about nature and climate change. She is representing children’s voices and speaking to children’s and the planet’s future. Available 10–12 November only. All approaches via her mother.
Experts available to speak on youth wellbeing and mental health:
Georgia Monaghan, Co-Founder of ECOMIND
Georgia is a climate law and strategy professional with more than eight years in the sector. She is leading ECOMIND’s wellbeing programming across COY and the Child & Youth Pavilion, including the Wellbeing Corner, and advancing the Future Minds initiative. She is calling for wellbeing, psychosocial safety and safeguarding to be embedded into youth participation in all climate spaces.
Yehansa Dahanayake, youth climate justice advocate and artist
Yehansa is a Law and Environmental Science student at Macquarie University and a Co-Researcher at Western Sydney University’s Young & Resilient Research Centre. She is supporting the Child & Youth Pavilion, and appearing as a Future Minds panellist. She is calling for stronger youth voices in climate decision-making and greater recognition of young people’s mental health in climate policy.
Sophia Skarparis, sustainability professional and founder of PlasticFreeSophia
Sophia works across sustainability, plastics and youth ocean advocacy, and is helping lead ECOMIND’s Wellbeing Corner at the Child and Youth Pavilion. She is calling for stronger ocean protection, youth participation in climate decision-making, and greater recognition of mental health and wellbeing in climate action.
Contact details:
The Climate Media Centre can arrange interviews, before or during the conference. Contact Gabrielle Platt on +61 0493 442 306 (also available on Whatsapp) or via [email protected]