Meet Siobhan Takala, a program manager with Youth Climate Lab in Punamu’kwati’jk, Mi'kma'ki (Dartmouth, Nova Scotia).
In June, she attended the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal as a member of the Ocean Bridge alumni delegation.
“I was so excited to learn about perspectives on preserving, rehabilitating, and healing our oceans from around the world,” she said about her first international conference.
Siobhan’s always been interested in ocean and water health. Growing up near a river deeply influenced her.
“I dreamed of being a marine biologist when I was younger,” she said. “I fell deeply in love with the ocean when I got to live beside it at 18! Now I hold a passion for the interconnectedness of water systems."
Siobhan holds a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science and Sustainability from Dalhousie. She recognizes that climate change and ocean science are inextricably linked.
At UNOC 2022, Siobhan was able to learn more about ocean systems, ocean health and ocean action, especially from Indigenous peoples and impacted communities, such as artisanal fishers.
Although she connected with youth from around the world, she was also disappointed that the conference didn’t address systemic barriers to meaningful youth participation.
“Youth had to be sponsored separately, such as by a non-profit, to attend UNOC itself, leaving many passionate and knowledgeable youth unable to attend most of the events at UNOC,” she said. “Additionally, throughout the conference many of the “youth panels” centered ‘adult’ voices, sometimes including one youth at the end to share the ‘youth perspective’. Youth are not a monolith. Our wide-range of perspectives deserve to be valued and heard in a more robust, respectful way.”
Read Siobhan’s full take on her learnings and disappointments, as well as the power of youth by clicking the button below.
