ASCEND provided a mobile network for the participants of the COY 13 youth climate conference

From 2 to 4 November 2017, the 13th Conference of Youth (COY13) took place in Bonn, which has been organized annually since 2005 by YOUNGO - the youth representative to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The network experts from ASCEND ensured that the approximately 1,000 participants from 114 countries had comprehensive mobile access to the Internet on their laptops and smartphones during the three days, for example to access relevant live streams. This also created the conditions for sustainable networking with young climate activists from all over the world beyond the time and place of the conference.

The COY brings together young people with a passion for and interest in environmental and climate change issues, always just before the United Nations Climate Summit, also known as the Conference of the Parties (COP), which opened in Bonn on November 6. This year, it was presided over by the Fiji Islands, which are particularly affected by global warming and the associated rise in sea levels. The young people's conference in the run-up to the conference was also held under the motto "Talanoa Mada - Young people forcing climate protection" and promoted the objective of preparing the young participants for the subsequent climate negotiations and expanding internet-based networks on the topic in more than 225 individual events

"In addition to the exchange of information in discussion rounds and seminars, the retrieval of current data from the network and online communication in social media is of course becoming increasingly important for such an event," says Christian Heckel, Managing Director of the network service provider ASCEND from Nuremberg. "We are therefore particularly proud to have created the right conditions for the Youth Climate Conference in Bonn."

Modern network technology is increasingly becoming a success factor

Within one day, the ASCEND team had set up a total of eleven Internet access points in the rooms of the Bonn-Beuel Integrated Comprehensive School, where COY13 was held. The participants used the possibilities of the wireless network with great enthusiasm: in the three days of the event, a data volume in the order of 850 gigabytes was moved.
"For ASCEND, the most critical success factor was whether the transmission and reception of various live streams was possible for all participants without any problems," reports Johannes Fickeis. Both the feedback from the young climate protectors and the continuous monitoring of the network technology were positive, and not only with regard to this issue. "Unfortunately, we had to dismantle the access points after the three days in accordance with the contract," says the Managing Director of the Nuremberg-based company. "But we are already looking forward to equipping similar events with innovative technology as soon as possible - and in this way supporting the networking of committed people all over the world."

Since 2004, ASCEND from Nuremberg has advanced the digital lifestyle like no other company. With WLAN and network concepts, the company supports local authorities, companies and libraries throughout Germany as well as countless public events and functions. Extensive technical expertise in WLAN access, billing and analysis tools is just as much a pillar of the company's philosophy as unconditional customer service and absolute priority for data security.

YOUNGO is the youth representative to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). As a network of all young climate activists in the UNFCCC process, YOUNGO organizes the Conference of Youth (COY) together with regional and local groups and organizations every year before the UN Climate Change Conferences (COP). It is an independent event for young people to exchange ideas and network and to prepare for the COP. In addition to delegates to the upcoming climate conference, committed and active people outside the UN process as well as young interested parties can now also take part.