COPCAS 2025 - COP30

Click here to meet the COPCAS 2025 Team

COP Climate Action Studio 2025 will take place during COP30 between the 10th and 21st November 2025 hosted in Belém, Brazil.

After careful consideration and discussions both internally and with UoR DTP managers, we decided not to proceed with sending students to COP30 in Belém, Brazil this year. This decision was not made lightly. There are significant logistical and financial challenges, including extremely high accommodation costs, limited availability of essential conference access, and the uncertainty this creates for students needing to plan their research and travel well in advance.

We are, however, excited to confirm that the COP Climate Action Studio (COPCAS) will go ahead this year in a fully virtual format.

This year’s virtual COPCAS will feature:

  • Daily live updates from academics and Pearl Associates attending COP30 in Brazil.
  • Interactive sessions with researchers and policy experts from across the University of Reading.
  • Opportunities to develop communication and engagement skills in a dynamic, supportive environment.

You can read about the Pearl Research Group engagment with COP30 here. 

COPCAS students 2024

COPCAS 2025 Schedule

COPcas studio

Pre-COP Workshop 1

Wed 29 Oct 2025,        13:30-16:30

Introduction to the history and structure of the UNFCCC and the key negotiating groups involved in the COP process; receive practical guidance on article/blog writing and interview techniques to support student engagement with COP30 and the studio’s outputs.

COP29 SDGs

Pre-COP Workshop 2

Wed 5 Nov 2025,        11:00 – 14:00

Strengthening students’ blog writing skills and exploring the thematic structure of COP30, while encouraging dialogue around research interests; introduction to the Climate Action Studio’s format and The Pearl’s Communication Protocol.

12 Nov. Lynn de Miranda in a session

COP Climate Action Studio

11 Nov – 21 Nov 2025   10:00 – 17:00

Engaging with live conference content, collaborating via MS Teams with peers attending in Brazil, and developing stories based on research interests; writing blog posts, creating videos and podcasts, with support from The Pearl Team to enhance communication and policy engagement skills. We have the priviledge to welcome a number of academic visitors from diverse disciplines.

Climate action network speakers at COP29

Wrap-up Workshop

Online via MS Teams, TBC

Reviewing what transpired during COP30 and evaluating participant engagement. 

I very much enjoyed...

“Firstly, I think [attending COPCAS] will help me with any applications/ grant writing as they often have a ” general public section” and I think I will be much better at conveying my own work in this manner. Secondly, I think COPCAS has given me the confidence to approach my internship in policy head on. .”

Lynn de Miranda FoodBioSystems DTP student

I really felt like...

“[I gained] experience engaging with and communicating policy events to a wide range non-scientific audience and enjoyed the collaboration with other students creating written work.“

Megan Sherlock, Scenario DTP student

This has made me...

“There are so many events happening at COP it is difficult to keep up/track, but having someone you know there who you can talk to about their personal experiences is much more engaging than following along through external news channels.“

Emmeline Smith, Scenario DTP student

I learnt about...

“I learnt about interviewing skills and was able to gain awareness of my own strengths and weakness. I engaged and connected with many people in relevant fields and enjoyed being exposed to different ways of thinking and approaching the issues I am interested in.“

COPCAS student

I got exposed to...

“I gained new skills about science communication. I was also engaged more in COP. And I enjoyed my time with people in the studio and working on project together.“

Charlie Davies, Scenario DTP student

I got exposed to...

“Personally, the experience has increased my appetite for engaging with climate action. I have also been able to pursue creative projects alongside of this for which I am very grateful.”

Anonymous COPCAS 2023 student