Capacity Building Material for COP29 first time delegates

On the 29th of October, the University of North Carolina Water Institute and Stakeholder Forum for a Sustainable Future held a webinar for first-time delegates to a Climate COP.

The presenters were:

• Felix Dodds, Adjunct Professor at the UNC Water Institute
• Jamie Cummings, Woodwell Climate Research Center and Stakeholder Forum Fellow

The webinar covered the following topics:

• The history of climate change negotiations
• The preparation process of the UNFCCC
• Outcomes and legacies from COP28
• Insights from the UNFCCC Bonn Preparatory Sessions 2024
• Key issues for COP29
• Expected outcomes of COP29
• Looking ahead to COP30 in Brazil
• Negotiating groups and key participants
• The importance of attending: a stakeholder engagement case study on a campaign and YOUNGO
• An overview of what COP29 will look like, including the Blue and Green Zones
• Discussions beyond negotiations
• Resources available and dates for 2025

The PowerPoint and transcription can be found here.

A recording of the training can be found here.

For those interested Felix Dodds and Chris Spence's last book Heroes of Environmental Diplomacy is being podcast. The book is available on Amazon for $25,

The first podcast is now available on Raúl Estrada-Oyuela, the Argentinian diplomat who played a pivotal role in global climate policy by leading the negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol. We'll start with the tense final moments of the Kyoto negotiations, where Estrada's leadership helped secure an ambitious, unanimous agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions—despite deep divisions among countries. We then take a step back to trace the evolution of international climate change talks, from early scientific warnings to the establishment of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. As we navigate the complex political landscape surrounding the Kyoto Protocol, you'll learn about the clashing priorities of developed and developing nations, the role of the US, and Estrada's unwavering commitment to a meaningful climate agreement. Wrapping up, we look at the Protocol's lasting impact on climate policy and celebrate Estrada's legacy as a true "hero of Kyoto." Join us for an inside look at one of climate diplomacy’s defining moments.

The next podcast will be on President Obama on Copenhagen Climate Conference in 2009.