Thibault Lepivain, an international UN Volunteer Climate Knowledge and Policy Specialist with the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the Bangkok Regional Hub served from the end of 2022 to early 2024. He believes climate change is the most significant crisis of our time, and engaging in projects that address it, imbues a sense of pride and purpose. At the same time, being at the forefront of witnessing what the world might resemble by the turn of the century, coupled with lagging global efforts, elicits emotions of anxiety and powerlessness.
Thibault's volunteering journey with the United Nations spanned from end of 2022 to early 2024. He supported, “Leveraging Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to Achieve net-zero emissions and climate-resilient Development, in Response to the Climate Emergency,” a project implemented in partnership between the Government of Japan and UNDP’s next phase of the Climate Promise: From Pledge to Impact.
The project lowered Bhutan’s emissions in the transport sector and was in line with the country's commitment to remain carbon neutral indefinitely in its second Nationally Determined Contributions.
While serving in the project, Thibault learned that Bhutan was one of the rare countries in the world that absorbed more greenhouse gas than it produced.
Thibault measured the impact of UNDP’s interventions on becoming carbon neutral and to pursue a low-emission development pathway as part of climate action objectives. However, he also noted enormous gaps and divides in the larger global picture.
The positive mindset to drive transformative changes is confronted by the doom realities presented in climate news. In July 2023, our planet ventured into unfamiliar territory by surpassing four climate records: experiencing the hottest day, the warmest month, the highest ocean temperature for a season, and achieving a new low in Antarctic sea ice. Sadly, we know that these records will be shattered in the future, again and again," Thibault Lepivain, international UN Volunteer Climate Knowledge and Policy Specialist with UNDP.
Wild mammals now account for a mere 4 per cent of the world's mammal population, and an alarming 1 million species face the threat of extinction. When a species goes extinct, it takes with it a wealth of unique properties that have been tested in countless experiments over millions of years of evolution.
Thibault shared, "The frustration and impatience with the lack of immediate results remains though, and there comes a point where these emotions become counterproductive. I try to strike a balance, as an adequate level of cynicism can actually help to be productive at work." He was of the belief that within the layers of bureaucracy and the abundance of computer work, there were genuine opportunities to contribute to substantial changes if time allowed.
"I find the volunteerism dimension of my assignment in the efforts undertaken to take the climate cause beyond the boundaries of the workplace. It is the extra time spent to voice concerns on social media, combat political apathy, or simply keep an eye open for those who are adversely affected as collateral damage. I believe young people have more interest in creating a habitable future for our planet and less to lose in changing existing establishments and systems," added Thibault.
A transition to a low carbon economy has begun in response to the rapid rise of temperatures. But how long will it take and how much natural resources will be required considering the fast-paced development of a world that is projected to accommodate 10 billion people by 2050?
The quantity of metals to extract over the next 35 years - with adverse environmental consequences - is expected to surpass the cumulative quantity produced from antiquity to date.
To facilitate this shift, global investment in the low-carbon energy transition is experiencing a remarkable surge.
In 2022, it reached a total of $1.1 trillion, marking a substantial 31 per cent increase from the previous year. Yet, this level of investment merely matches the amount invested in fossil fuels.
Amidst these challenges, we see the emergence of degrowth movements advocating for a systemic change but they are primarily active in the Western world, which bears responsibility for half of all historical CO2 emissions. Meanwhile, other countries are now able to focus on developing their economy and uplifting a portion of their population out of poverty.
The passion and commitment that Thibault has demonstrated in his work with us at UNDP is a beacon of hope that we as a society have the will and tenacity to solve our climate crisis." Akiko Yamamoto, Regional Team Leader, Asia and Pacific, for the Environment and Energy Team, UNDP BRH.
For Thibault, working in the climate field evoked a complex mix of conviction and conflict, stirring feelings of both righteousness and unease. "The work we do often feels limited," he said. However, he drew inspiration from philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson's famous quote, "when it is dark enough, you can see the stars."
From pledging for climate action to the impact on the ground - Thibault's volunteering encourages others to follow suit.
Source: Synthesis Report of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (p7)