Change Around the World: Interview with Jacqueline Pronk

By Nikita Kheni

Climate change is one of the most critical issues humankind is facing, impacting the most vulnerable communities, and devastating the planet for current and future generations. Jacqueline Pronk is one of the many people with a goal to mitigate climate change and bring sustainable development to the world. Knowing climate change was never gonna go away and learning that it is not possible for a lot of countries to adequately implement climate policy is the reason Jacqueline is so passionate about fighting for climate change mitigation and figuring out sustainable solutions for countries to implement.

In college, Jacqueline decided to join Model United Nations to learn more about climate change and build experience in finding possible solutions. She has been to several regional and two international Model United Nations conferences, one in New York and one in Washington D.C. Jacqueline has participated in the Climate Action in Developing Countries Committee - Conference of the Parties for the UN Framework Convention for climate change (COP-UNFCCC).

Jacqueline has also won several awards for the policy papers she presented to the United Nations Environmental Assembly at conferences. These policy papers address the issue and who it impacts, precedents that have already been done to mitigate it, and provide solutions that could happen on an individual level. During a conference, these papers are reviewed by each country, see what could benefit each other without harming, impact people without violating sovereignty and violating other people’s rights.

In D.C., she represented the Kingdom of Denmark and presented a paper about Preventing Marine Plastic Pollution through Sustainable Consumption and Production and Ending Illegal Wildlife Trade and Whaling. In New York, she represented the Republic of Slovenia and addressed Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework; Ensuring Sustainable Consumption and Production; and Mitigation of and Adaptation to Desertification and Drought.

Some things Jacqueline is focused on are addressing the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. The ones that stand out as absolutely crucial are Goal 1: No Poverty, and Goal 7: Affordable and Clean Energy. Eliminating poverty is essential in mitigating climate change. Poverty is an issue around the entire world, not just in developing countries. There is an endless cycle of poverty feeding into climate change, and climate change increasing poverty. Without implementing sustainable policies, this negative cycle will continue. Those who do not have economic means to consume and produce sustainable also cannot be shamed, and this should be a part of the conversation when discussing sustainable practices.

Additionally, clean energy is more affordable in the long run. It is initially costly to set up the infrastructure necessary for producing clean energy but ends up being more efficient in the long run. When a country invests in sustainable energy and resources, it creates sustainable communities as well. Sustainable infrastructure lowers carbon emissions and decreases carbon footprints, but it is also important to make sure that it does not create economic strains.

When asked about what it takes to implement climate change policy, Jacqueline explained that several people fail to understand that climate change mitigation is not easy to accomplish on an international level due to several roadblocks. It is easy for developed countries to say what a country should do to mitigate climate change, but not analyze the impacts of adopting climate-related policies. Moreover, sovereignty and bureaucracy limit the enforcing power of the United Nations and many other international institutions. Policies can also be costly and potentially devastate a developing country’s economy without proper financial ability.

Some of the possible solutions ideas come from what is sustainable for developing countries to focus on. Sharing technology and information is a way to share energy, resources, doctors, and more on a regional and international level so that access to sustainability is increased. Developed nations should offer financial support to allow developing countries to build sustainable infrastructure. Non-governmental organizations are the largest and most impactful proponents of spreading awareness and helping bring change. Since they are third party organizations, they have the ability to help multiple nations and exceed the reach of any singular country’s abilities. NGOs can educate, help build access to transportation, housing, and build sustainable practices based on communities’ needs. Public-private partnerships can incentivize the private sector and incentivize the education sector by providing tax write-offs so that everyone benefits from cutting carbon emission. This works on a government, local, private, and public basis.

Developing countries are the largest contributors to climate change, but also suffer the impacts of climate change. Since they are already paying to alleviate droughts, famines, rising sea levels, and climate disasters, they do not have the capability to move into implementing climate change policies. Jacqueline emphasizes that this is why finding sustainable options and solutions is so crucial in the fight for climate change mitigation.