An eye-opening experience on the negotiations team at COP 28 has further motivated Amal Al Gergawi, Class of 2019 to pursue meaningful climate action as a research fellow at NYU Abu Dhabi.
NYUAD: How does your work in environmental science inform your understanding of climate change, particularly in the context of the Middle East?
I’ve been fortunate enough to have been with Professor Burt’s Marine Biology Lab for two years, researching the intersections of marine science and policy. The scientific evidence on climate change and its impacts has been beyond alarming. In the Middle East, temperatures rise twice as fast as the global average. The bleached corals we observe in our dives are occurring with increased frequency and severity. Coupled with high rates of desertification and droughts, this region has a greater urgency to mitigate GHG emissions and adapt to these effects.
NYUAD: Can you tell us about your journey into climate advocacy and diplomacy with COP 28?
It started over a year ago. I had been enrolled in the UAE Youth Delegate Climate Programme initiative, led by the first-ever Youth Climate Champion, H.E. Shamma Al Mazrui, and her team. I was then recruited at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week for a role within the Office of the UAE’s Special Envoy to Climate Change as a climate negotiator on adaptation.
The COP 28 team had the vision to ensure this climate summit would be different from the previous 27 editions by significantly shifting the conversation to place inclusion and ambition at the forefront.
NYUAD: What was your experience like working on climate negotiations?
The COP 28 team had the vision to ensure this climate summit would be different from the previous 27 editions by significantly shifting the conversation to place inclusion and ambition at the forefront. Months in advance, we worked around the clock, attending and hosting workshops, ministerials, meetings, and consultations. The adoption of the UAE Consensus — at the heart of it is the first-ever Global Stocktake and the series of action agenda initiatives, pledges, and declarations — was historic.
NYUAD: What’s it like working in the Burt Marine Biology Lab?
One of the greatest joys of my life. Every day is new and dynamic. Most of my time is spent writing, analyzing, and visualizing data and meeting with my co-authors. I also assist the lab with fieldwork. If a postdoctoral associate needs coral, urchin, or water samples, we jump on one of NYU Abu Dhabi’s two vessels from Hidd Al Saadiyat to dive at designated sites. It is a highly rewarding fellowship, and I am constantly learning.
NYUAD: How does your education from NYU Abu Dhabi contribute to your work today?
NYU Abu Dhabi has been a beacon of knowledge. The network of world-class faculty, staff, and students shaped my learning experience outside the classroom just as much as the intensive curriculum did inside. Whether through internships, research assistantships, or study abroad programs, I had many opportunities and resources to design a personalized educational experience.