King’s College London (KCL) attended COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan as an NGO Observer. Environmental Society (EcoSoc) President Ved Shivakumar and News Editor Kayla Rahaman reached out to Lead Delegate Simal Efsane Erdogan for her reflections on the Conference and international climate action.
King’s College London attended COP29 as an NGO Observer. The lead delegate to the conference was Simal Efsane Erdogan, a PhD student at the Dickson Poon School of Law.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the supreme decision-making body of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). It brings together representatives from nearly every country, as well as non-state actors, to negotiate and implement global strategies addressing climate change.
These annual conferences are crucial for advancing international efforts towards sustainability, environmental conservation and limiting global temperature rises. King’s status as an NGO observer enables the university to send academic representatives to attend the annual COP conferences and intersessional meetings.
Roar and EcoSoc reached out to Erdogan for her reflections on attending COP29 as the KCL lead delegate.
The Role of King’s at COP29
Each year, KCL advertises the opportunity to attend COP29 to its academic community. Delegates are chosen through a rigorous selection process, based on an assessment of their demonstrated interest in climate change through research, teaching, or postgraduate-level work.
Erdogan explained that KCL, as an NGO observer, does not attend with a specific agenda for the conference. Instead, the delegation focuses on multiple objectives, including ‘bringing valuable insights back to the university, disseminating research outcomes and actively participating in climate discussions to contribute to global sustainability efforts.’
Erdogan’s doctoral thesis examined how public institutions can use procurement for environmental management. She viewed attending COP as an opportunity to ‘bridge my academic research with the tangible atmosphere of climate action, reinforcing the connection between theory and global sustainability policy-making’.
Sustainability forms part of King’s Strategic Vision 2029. The university was also one of the first in the UK to sign the 2015 Paris Pledge for Action, which shares the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping global temperature increases under two degrees. Sending representatives to the largest annual climate conference is another way Kings links its academics to climate action on a global scale.
Reflections on Negotiations
The current financial commitments fall short of what developing countries had hoped for, highlighting the need for greater global effort to ensure equitable support for those most affected by the crisis.
Simal Efsane Erdogan
The ‘pay up’ protests stood out to Erdogan as a moment that highlighted the intensity of negotiations. Small Island States (SIDS) and other developing nations are among the most vulnerable to climate catastrophes. Activists representing the existential need for climate aid protested at the Conference, disappointed by the agreement of a mere $300 billion New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for global climate financing.
Erdogan agreed that the current NCQG is insufficient because those countries ‘require significant institutional and financial support to address both mitigation and adaptation needs’.
The debate over whether India and China should be classified as developed nations highlights one of the complex issues of global climate governance; determining which countries are responsible for delivering climate finance to other nations.
Proponents argue that their rapid economic growth, technological advancements and significant contributions to global greenhouse gas emissions warrant greater responsibility. Others, including both nations, strongly oppose such reclassification. They highlight the historical responsibility of the other developed nations, especially in North America and Western Europe, for the bulk of emissions since the Industrial Revolution. Additionally, India and China still face critical development priorities, including poverty reduction, infrastructure development, and providing basic humanitarian services to large segments of their populations.
Erdogan noted that ‘the debate remains unresolved, with ongoing discussions about the appropriate roles and responsibilities of these emerging economies in global climate action and finance’.
Looking Ahead
While [carbon] trading could begin as early as 2025, there are risks attached. For example, crediting natural carbon absorption, which already occurs without human intervention, could lead to higher emissions if misused. However, if implemented effectively, this market has the potential to accelerate low-carbon technology adoption and help close the emissions gap toward the 1.5°C target.
Simal Efsane Erdogan
Overall, Erdogan reflected positively on the conference. The conference brings over 65,000 delegates from around the world to engage in two weeks of rigorous climate negotiation. She applauded Baku’s preparedness and hospitality as a host city.
She also weighed in on some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for international climate action.
One of the key outcomes of COP29 was the agreement to mobilise USD 300 billion in climate financing to developing countries, three times the previously agreed target. She regarded this as a ‘positive step’ but noted the challenge of ‘translating this pledge into actionable and accountable mechanisms’.
Another outcome of the conference was the agreement on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, following nearly a decade of negotiations. This agreement aims to standardise international carbon markets, creating a transparent and more effective model for global carbon trading. Erdogan cited that ‘risks such as mismanagement of carbon markets and the potential misuse of carbon credits must be addressed to maintain integrity and effectiveness’.
Finally, she reflected on the nature of international climate agreements at large. The Paris Agreement established a legally binding international framework for monitoring and reporting the carbon emissions of nations.
However, it does not have enforcement powers, and countries can withdraw (Trump pulled the US out for a second time this month). Erdogan sees this as a space where ‘advocacy by individuals, policymakers, NGOs, and all stakeholders becomes indispensable’:
Their collective efforts to push for more ambitious climate frameworks can encourage states to adopt greener pathways, even within the constraints of the international legal regime. Youth and youth-led movements, in particular, play a pivotal role. By embedding climate concerns into every decision-making process and integrating sustainability thinking into every profession, these efforts contribute meaningfully to a cleaner and more sustainable future.
Climate negotiations are complicated. As climate change’s impacts are increasingly visible on all continents, this year’s COP delivered a mix of progression and room for progress. Erdogan put it straightforwardly: ‘We have a lot to do!’
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