Land Economy at COP29

Our academics are involved in COP29, which is taking place between the 11^th November 2024 and 22^nd November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Here are a few details of what their plans were before heading to COP29.

Head of the Department's Centre for Resilience and Sustainable Development, Dr Nazia Habib, is attending from 18^th to the 21^st November, where she is speaking on multiple panels across two thematic days. Dr Habib said,

I’ll be sharing the impactful research outputs from CRSD, specifically focused on enhancing small countries' access to climate finance—a critical lever for climate resilience. Additionally, I’ll delve into the themes of circular economy and systems change, highlighting how sustainable practices and collaborative approaches can reshape our global response to the climate crisis.

Dr Antoinette Nestor, Affiliated Lecturer at the Department of Land Economy and Director of Studies for Land Economy at Girton College, Cambridge, will be attending three sessions: 

• Nax Yax Lawen inche nien We are the Ecosystem
• We Can't Plant Ice! Why the frozen ocean, especially the Central Arctic Ocean Ice Shield as a Global Commons, offers an opportunity for creative, inclusive and climate just governance
• Legally Bold: Law & Governance for Ambitious Finance & NDCs

Dr Nestor hopes to make connections on an international level with policy makers, researchers, and community groups who are looking for decisive action on Articles 2, 4, and 6 of the Paris Agreement.

• Article 2’s objective is limiting global temperature rise to below 2°C—or even striving for 1.5°C.
• Article 4 requires each country to enhance their climate commitments regularly, ensuring alignment with both their capacities and the global need for urgent climate action.
• Article 6 focuses on international cooperation and carbon markets, is essential for establishing fair, transparent mechanisms for emissions reductions and supporting less-resourced nations in achieving ambitious climate goals.

Dr Nestor said,

For my research, I will explore what existing pathways are being used for improving local-level implementation of climate commitments such as the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), linking them directly to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). I will also be engaging with stakeholders at COP29 and assess the direction of travel for policies that address climate resilience while safeguarding community rights. 

Jiashu Zhu - who is a PhD Candidate at the Department of Land Economy and a Centre Researcher at the Department's Centre for Environment, Energy and Natural Resource Governance (CEENRG) - contributed to a United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) project launched at COP29. The project, called 'State of Adaptation Action by Parties' consists of a portal of interactive country profiles, and aims to be:

... a unique, central access point for information ... designed to enhance the collective understanding of adaptation action, facilitate recognition of adaptation efforts, stimulate learning and further action, and contribute to the tracking of adaptation progress globally.

Finally, Dr Joanna Depledge, a Fellow at CEENRG, appeared recently on BBC Radio 4's Inside Science programme to discuss whether climate summits are working ahead of COP29.