By Ella Reese-Clauson ’26, International Political Economy On the first Friday of COP29, I entered the generally professional and sterile Blue Zone to the sight of a small line of business-clad delegates waiting to have their picture taken with a pair of attendees dressed in inflatable polar bear suits. One after another, the delegates excitedly …
Continue reading “Bananas, Smiles, and Atomic Bombs: Attitudes toward Nuclear Energy at COP29”
By Ashley Entwistle, ’26, History-Political Science As delegates from around the world gather in Baku to discuss the future of our climate, the results of the US election have left the US delegation divided on how to represent the nation’s climate future. The question of whether the US can remain a reliable international partner on …
Continue reading “A Tense Saturday for the US Delegation at COP29”
By Megan O’Brien, ’25, Environmental Studies and Havalin Haskell, ’26, Environmental Studies First speakers from hosting countries (From left to right: Mukhtar Babayev, Patricia Espinosa, John Podesta, and Liu Zhenmin) at COP29 Summit on Methane and Non-CO2 Greenhouse Gases. When we caught wind of the possibility of garnering tickets to attend the High-Level Summit …
Ashley Entwistle, ’26, History-Political Science Paul Irngaut (Vice-President, Nunavut Tunngavik Inc) delivering his keynote speech on Tuesday, November 12. The two-day World Leaders Action Summit commenced on the first Tuesday of COP29, where the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan invited heads of state and governments to engage in bilateral meetings, high-level roundtable discussions, and special …
By Ella Reese-Clauson, ’26, International Political Economy We entered the Baku airport at two in the morning local time after a nearly twenty-four hour travel day, amazed by the sloping, modern wooden arches of the terminal. Signs for COP29 in a now-familiar teal color lined the hallway. Our shuttle driver pointed out notable buildings as …
By Jasmine Sone At COP28, I had the opportunity to speak with three extraordinary people: Chandra Tripura, who advocates for the Tripura community in Bangladesh; Pirawan Wongnithisathaporn, who represents the Karen community in Thailand, specifically the Pga K’nyaw; and Shree Kumar Mahajan, who speaks for the Newar community in Nepal. Their stories brought to light …
Continue reading “Echoes of Resilience: Indigenous Voices from South and Southeast Asia at COP28”
by Tristan Durocher ’25 We are now two days removed from COP 28, an exhausting summit extending an extra two days past the prescribed 12 days planned. Being on the other side, I’ve now had time to process, reflect, and understand that the responsibility of being a COP attendee doesn’t end when the plenary is …
Continue reading “What do we do Post-COP 28?: Dissemination and Climate Literacy”
By Jasmine Sone Among all the discussions at COP28, the term “Rights of Nature” caught me off guard, a concept foreign to me until that point. My initial feeling was one of confusion. Why is it necessary to advocate for the Rights of Nature in a world where its intrinsic sacredness should be obvious? Defining …
Continue reading “Awakening Connections: Embracing the Rights of Nature”
By Jasmine Sone As I sit here contemplating the future of our food, a disturbing fact enters my mind: only roughly 60 harvests are left in our topsoil. That’s all. It takes 1,000 years to produce three centimeters of topsoil, and if the current degradation rate continues, it is projected that the world’s topsoil might …
Continue reading “Unearthing the Impact: Soil’s Crucial Role in Climate Change”
By Jasmine Sone Step into the captivating world of COP28 exhibitions, where ideas are showcased in brilliant shades of sustainability. The halls of COP28 were not merely places for debate but also galleries of inspiration, with collections that echoed the heartbeat of our planet’s future. The vivid and inventive displays across the Blue and Green …
Continue reading “Exhibit Adventures: My Top Picks from COP28’s Exhibits”
