By Abby Le ’25, Mathematical Economics
On my first day as a badge-holder, I planned to explore the venue, learn the layout, and prepare for the busy days ahead. The Blue Zone, the event’s epicenter, was split into formal meeting rooms and vibrant pavilions showcasing climate initiatives. I’d heard from CC alumni about the energy of these pavilions, but nothing prepared me for their dynamic, expo-like atmosphere.
As I wandered through the Blue Zone, I embraced my role as an “Observer,” scanning badges and taking in the pins adorning lanyards and lapels – tokens of SDG symbols, national flags, and climate initiatives. I later learned that these pins are a way to increase engagement at some pavilions and that they usually run out fast; this of course sparked my interest in collecting them. What began as a simple pursuit turned into a catalyst for new connections, and before long, casual pin-hunting led to meaningful conversations and deeper insights into the climate efforts happening beyond the formal negotiations.
Entering the Delegation Pavilion space feels like walking into a maze. The pavilions themselves were as diverse as the countries and organizations they represented. While the thematic focus differs each day, the pavilion setups remain the same, offering a glimpse into how each country or organization brands itself. Overall, the approaches could roughly be categorized into (1) technology and innovation or (2) connecting with nature and cultural heritage, going for a “traditional” approach to climate change.
Some African countries’ pavilions, like Zambia’s, showcased solutions such as clean cookstoves to address the health risks and indoor air pollution caused by traditional open-fire cooking, while the Ethiopia’s pavilion highlighted their land restoration achievements.
The Namibia’s pavilion, by contrast, featured plain white walls, a national flag, posters, investment booklets, a podium, and chairs. Its lack of decor or instantly eye-catching exhibits made it easy to overlook amidst the more visually striking setups in the busy pavilion area. I missed it several times, drawn to more prominent displays and not actively searching for pavilion names. However, when I finally spoke with the staff, they shared fascinating projects, including cactus planting, their carbon market, and partnerships with European countries like Belgium—an example later cited in the Belgian minister’s speech at the International Energy Agency (IEA) pavilion.
Walking to the other side of the maze, one will be met with pavilions showcasing very advanced technologies. The Japan’s pavilion highlighted eleven climate solutions from its tech giants. A Nitto engineer explained their CO2 sequestration system, aiming for international commercialization by 2030, though they hope to accelerate this to 2025. In the same pavilion, a Hitachi representative showed me their Flood Simulation & Data Center Distributed Control for Climate Adaptation system, which redistributes energy loads between data centers based on solar power availability. While fascinating, the staff mentioned that such innovations aren’t always well-received at climate summits like this, where they can be written off as distracting techno-fixes.
While the pavilion space is mostly dedicated to country exhibits, any countries or organizations wishing to participate must pay to have a pavilion, leading to striking disparities in size and effort. Some countries, like the UAE and Qatar, invested heavily in fancy, futuristic setups with private meeting rooms, while others, like China, took a more climate-conscious approach (China’s pavilion area is almost bigger than that of UAE and Qatar, though). China’s pavilion was unique in that all their chairs and tables were made of cardboard. By the end of the first week, the chairs with backrests were patched together with tape, and by the second week, they were replaced by folded cardboard benches without backrests.
Other pavilions offered immersive and unique experiences to increase engagement. Brazil (the next COP host) served rich, aromatic coffee, and Kazakhstan with their staff dressing in traditional clothing distributed traditional cultural items like milk bowls. Portugal hosted interactive sessions – one can go surfing on a Portugal coast using their first VR technology which simulated a 200-foot wave (I was constantly reminded to breathe the whole time). NGO pavilions, like Azerbaijan’s IDEA (International Dialogue for Environmental Action), founded by Leyla Aliyeva in 2011, emphasized collaboration with other organizations as they had a bowl for business cards, while Sweden’s pavilion facilitated private discussions between policymakers and 20 Swedish startups offering innovative climate solutions.
Creative decor definitely helps attract participants, but after walking through the area a few times, I knew what to expect. This is where the pins come in – they’re an effective way to engage attendees. Only a limited number of pins were given out each day. To get a “China Pavilion – COP29 in Baku” pin, a panda pin, or a China Pavilion lanyard, visitors had to attend an event for at least 20 minutes. Similarly, the Moana Blue Pacific’s pavilion required attendees to download their schedule to receive a popular 1.5°C pin, flower hairpin, or tote bag.
The Singapore’s pavilion featured their hybrid orchid. To get a pin, one has to be at the start of events or sit through a talk and complete a feedback form. So that’s what I did. The talk was on Scope 3 Emissions in Healthcare. Experts from the UK’s National Health Service and IHH Healthcare, Asia’s largest private healthcare group, discussed how to address Scope 3 emissions and the challenges in the healthcare supply chain. An example that kept being brought up was about dry powder inhalers (DPIs) and soft mist inhalers, which have a significantly lower carbon footprint compared to metered-dose inhalers due to their lack of propellants. Clinicians, rather than governments, were emphasized as key drivers in making these environmentally friendly alternatives more affordable.
The Russia’s pavilion stood out with an informal panel discussion alongside a unique board game where participants had to take off their shoes and find leopard cards in a square board game set-up of 36 face-down cards. The game, designed to educate children about nature and leopard habitats, had unexpectedly engaged policymakers and politicians in climate education.
The Ukraine’s pavilion focused on the war’s impact on the environment, showcasing the impressive recovery of the Kakhovka Reservoir, symbolized by a willow tree. Their walls, made from cardboard, recycled paper, and living seeds, reflected both the country’s resilience and the broader theme of recovery amidst the crisis of invasion and war.
In addition to the country pavilions, the UNFCCC also hosted a pavilion that became the center of most intellectual discussions around climate finance. On the Trade, Investment, and Finance Day, they partnered with Columbia Climate School to present a panel on “Mobilizing the Trillions: Unlocking Public and Private Climate Finance.” The room was packed, and by the time I arrived, a long line had already formed. Everyone was wearing headphones due to the overwhelming background noise in the area, as the panelists’ voices were transmitted directly to the headphones rather than being projected through speakers.
The panel covered blended finance, the need for reforms in multilateral development banks (MDBs) (referred to as the “3 B’s: Bigger, Better, Bolder”), and the political risks affecting private finance. The speakers highlighted that blended finance has become a buzzword, and its potential for scaling is limited by a lack of understanding and standardization. One interesting comment came from Professor Sachs of Columbia University, who critiqued the U.S. political system for its investment grades and credit ratings that prevent developing countries from attracting foreign investments, saying, “Our political system is highly corrupted.” And in a surprising twist, I discovered that Lucy Kessler, a Senior Program Officer at the Bezos Earth Fund, is a Colorado College alumna!
There were also pavilions built around themes, like the Children & Youth Pavilion and Civil Society Hub, along with many other organizational pavilions.
Whether these pavilions influence party delegates’ decisions remains unclear, but my pin hunt has already taught me so much. From clean cookstoves to VR waves, and from panda pins to climate-finance debates, each interaction added a layer to my understanding of global climate efforts.
