When we left the U.N. climate negotiations in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2009 without a legally binding agreement that cuts global greenhouse gas emissions, we knew that the road ahead would be just as difficult for each subsequent negotiation.

One year ago today, a team of intelligent and dynamic Midwest youth were preparing for an expedition that would impact their lives forever. These twelve young leaders, hailing from seven different states set aside their studies, their work, and their personal lives for an intense immersion experience in the COP15 UNFCCC international climate negotiations, as part of the Will Steger Foundation's Expedition Copenhagen delegation. For six months leading up to COP15, the team trained, studied up on climate policy, joined the national campaign for a federal climate bill, and engaging high school classrooms that would follow them online through the WSF website. Then, for eighteen days, they were active participants in the largest international youth presence at an UNFCCC conference in history, living, breathing, and connecting through an experience that would re-shape their perspectives of climate change, climate justice, and the power of youth to change the world. Below is an excerpt from Expedition Copenhagen delegate and current SustainUS delegate to COP16, Reed Aronow.

Here's a look at what it's like to be at the Bella Center for the UN Climate Change Conference:

I previously had the chance to meet National Geographic photographer James Balog. Here's the interview I had with him:

For move videos, check out WillSteger1 channel on Youtube!

I hit the trail early this morning, trekking with my fellow Will Steger delegates to COY, the Conference of Youth. As we were walking, I noticed how many people bike in town. There is actually a separate lane for cyclists, and I’ve heard rumor that there are more bikes than in people in Copenhagen. Whether or not this is true, it’s a far cry from some of the places I biked through earlier this autumn.

Young people from all across the world gathered today for our first day of training in preparation for the United Nations Framework Conference on Climate Change (COP-15) which begins on Monday.

The air was vibrant with the energy of a thousand young people, ready to call for a strong, fair, and legally binding treaty over the next couple of weeks. Today, I met with youth delegates from India, Sweden, Cameroon, Canada, Australia, Belgium, China, Japan, from all across the world. I ran into fellow 350 organizers from across the world, who were organizing events internationally while I was biking 350 miles around the state of Minnesota to talk to people about climate solutions.

Stay tuned for breaking news from behind the scenes at COP-15!

Until tomorrow,
Reed Aronow