From the classroom to the COP: students learn the art of climate negotiation

In January 2026, the Nancy-Metz school district in France turned an ordinary school day into an international summit. At the Meurthe-et-Moselle Departmental Council, around 60 students from general and vocational high schools took part in a simulation of climate negotiations inspired by the United Nations Conferences of the Parties (COP).

The approach: an educational toolkit developed by AFD. Designed as a turnkey role-playing exercise, it places students in the shoes of international delegations, challenging them to debate, negotiate, and experience first-hand the complexity of international decision-making.

The initiative is supported by AFD as part of the public awareness mandate entrusted to it by the French government: helping citizens better understand the major challenges of sustainable development and international solidarity, and gain a deeper understanding of today's global issues.

Turning abstract concepts into lived experience

“We are addressing two priorities here in Meurthe-et-Moselle: tackling climate change through the ecological transition, and supporting young people,” said Chaynesse Khirouni, President of the Meurthe-et-Moselle Departmental Council. “Our high school students are fully engaging with the challenges of the transition and the urgent need to act on climate change.”

Adèle Lassalas, Head of Stakeholder Engagement and Support at Gescod, the Grand Est regional network for international cooperation and solidarity, praised the initiative:

“Giving high school students the space to debate, imagine, and make decisions is a way of recognizing their essential role in the transition ahead. Watching them negotiate, seek compromises, and defend their positions demonstrates the power of immersive learning: it transforms abstract concepts into lived experience.”

Gescod attended the event alongside other partners, including the Greater Nancy Metropolitan Authority, the Agence de l’eau and the Parlement des jeunes pour l’eau. All praised the quality of the discussions and discovered AFD’s educational resources for French citizens, highlighting the potential to scale up this type of initiative.

“We supported the education authority with the goal of enabling it to organize similar events independently in the future. We are also updating the educational materials made available to learning communities in France and around the world,” said Sid-Ahmed Mesloub, Head of AFD’s Educational Resources Program for the education sector.

Empowering informed citizens

The Nancy-Metz initiative is part of a broader movement. Youth COP simulations are gaining momentum across France and internationally: the nationwide High School Climate COP, bringing together students from across France and five other countries; ocean-focused simulations held in 2025; the Guyana COP Week organized alongside COP30 in Belém; departmental COP initiatives led by the Toulouse education authority; a training program for young people in Marseille that resulted in an advocacy initiative presented at COP30; and simulations organized in French schools abroad, including in Lebanon, Senegal, Madagascar, Tunisia, and North America.

In the face of the climate emergency, building informed citizens is no longer optional. COP simulations offer a practical, engaging, and inclusive way to help students understand global challenges while mobilizing local communities.