Victoria meeting with Thoriq Ibrahim, Minister of Environment and Energy of The Maldives. Click here to hear Victoria's thoughts on the meeting.

Victoria with Frank Niepold, Climate Education Coordinator at The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The conference culminated with 186 countries submitting action plans on how to decrease and eliminate practices that have been found to cause climate change and to enact policies that will keep global temperatures from rising more than two degrees Celsius. Victoria was hoping for a goal of keeping the global temperature from rising 1.5 degrees Celsius, which would provide small island nations, such as The Maldives, with a fighting chance of not only maintaining their shore line but also avoiding being wiped off the map by rising ocean levels. 

After two weeks filled with speeches, marches and meetings,  Victoria says that what she will remember most from her trip are the many people she met who, like her, are motivated to work towards a solution in reversing or curtailing the harmful emission of greenhouse gas and climate change. Victoria is also excited to bring her experiences to Notre Dame through the founding of the Environment Club, which will bring awareness of climate issues and promote action on the Notre Dame Campus. This spring, as she begins her college search, Victoria will be looking for a school where she can continue to develop as an activist through the study of International Relations.