Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI)

By ECCI Co-Director, Kate Donavan - reflecting on ECCI's COP Cafe and two weeks of UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP30).

My highlight from the two weeks of UNFCCC Conference of Parties (COP30) is the inspiring panel discussion led by our early-career researchers and practitioners currently pursuing their master’s degrees at the University of Edinburgh. Pictured, l to r.

Sasa Wanodyaning Salsabila - MSc Climate Change Management
Howard Mwesigwa - LL.M - Global Environment & Climate Change Law
Michael Akinsuyi - MSc Food Security
Kadija Kamara - MSc Climate Finance and Investment

On the 12th November we held a COP Café at the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute and a large audience had the pleasure of listening to four incredible speakers from around the world. They draw from their already extensive experience and shared their hopes and realities of living with, and working on the climate crisis.

“I believe in the power of youth to hold politicians accountable” – Kadija

Often COPs are seen as failures, disappointing political platforms where little tangible process is seemingly made. However, the COP Café at ECCI provided a different perspective. One that is positive, demonstrates that COPs are still important and looking back to the earliest of these international gatherings, real progress has been made. Action has been taken, and it continues to drive our efforts to reduce emissions, build resilience, and address social injustice.

Aspirations for COP

It’s all about financing! Our speakers all agreed that COP needed to be about agreeing on the mechanisms that can feed funding through to climate action.

“The quest for climate finance is the quest for climate justice” - Howard

The financing needs to be fair and appropriate, recognising the challenge to “avoid carbon colonialism” and ensure that adaptation is included in financial discussions. A global goal on adaptation is also a must, but importantly we must have the mechanisms to implement adaptation action. This COP was labelled by some as the adaptation COP but progress was lacking with post COP reflections noting that without appropriate finances how is progress on the much awaited global indicators going to be made?

“I hope that they listen to those living on small islands or small nations, they are the most vulnerable, they need to listen to avoid walk outs” - Sasa

Sasa highlighted the importance of including indigenous people and small island states, those that conventionally have struggled to have a voice at these international events. This year sadly, the voice of indigenous people told of anger and struggle with protesters blockading the main entrance.

This crisis is bigger than Trump

Discussions focussed on the role of large influential states, their presence and their absence. Inevitably the issues playing out in the US and the US president’s stance on climate change came to the front. Yet the panel had an interesting and refreshing view:

“we need to convince Trump to realise that addressing climate change is good for business” – Kadja

“Trump’s withdrawal of funds opens up an opportunity to be more independent from the US and its aim system” - Sasa

I was impressed by this positive take on things and that these experts were able to rise above the challenges that others have called “immoral” and take a positive attitude noting that the climate crisis is far bigger than Trump.

But yes, Sasa, I agree - Trump’s attitude toward climate change definitely gives me a major ick as well.

Do we need COP?

“What if we had no COP? This is the spirit we need to take” – Michael

When asked to consider the use of COP the panel agreed that the COPs were and continue to be important. Michael highlighted the progress that had been made and what would replace COP if it were to dissolve. Howard built on this noting that countries signing up to measure and record emissions should be a cause for celebration and that “we cannot afford to be pessimistic, like a human being COP isn’t perfect either”.

Let’s press their necks

Finally, the panel reflected on their roles and their ambitions for climate action with Michael encouraging the audience:

“we are still studying, still learning and still have a voice” - Michael

The panel reflected on the role of the conference of youth noting how important this is and that without a platform it is difficult to participate. We were then encouraged to have and join the conversation at the University, use the University for what it offers and seek out information.

In our busy lives, this was a refreshing and inspiring morning leaving me with a renewed positive energy for COP and for international climate action.