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Global carbon markets agreement at COP29: a win for green investment, or simply more greenwashing?

Global carbon markets agreement at COP29: a win for green investment, or simply more greenwashing?

Within its first few days, this COP has seen a major step forward in the development of a globally standardised carbon market, something that has long been awaited. The announcement has been met with a mixture of both enthusiasm and cynicism.
Billions or trillions? Should COP add innovation into its financial discussions?

Billions or trillions? Should COP add innovation into its financial discussions?

There is no doubt that COP29 is vital to ensuring that we mitigate the most severe impacts of climate change over the next century with current trends limiting our chances of restricting warming to below 2 degrees Celsius. Yet, the core of the financial discussion should also involve global funding of scientific research to find clean energy solutions.
Adaptation Funding: Key to COP29’s Success

Adaptation Funding: Key to COP29’s Success

Written by Eme Dean-Lewis; PhD student with SCENARIO DTP.    In their annual Adaptation Gap report for 2024, published a few days before COP29, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) calls for greater focus on adaptation ...
Climate Action Needs All Hands

Climate Action Needs All Hands

The importance of broader community involvement in climate action, or "bottom-up" action, was repeatedly stressed throughout the third day of COP29.
Politics and COP29: Constructive or Destructive?

Politics and COP29: Constructive or Destructive?

2024 is the year of elections (OCHR, 2024), and this is arguably influencing domestic, and in some instances international, policy on collective action against global warming.
Should Azerbaijan Be Criticised?

Should Azerbaijan Be Criticised?

There has been a lot of criticism on Azerbaijan during COP29. Yet, Ilham Aliyev, President of Azerbaijan, spent time on day 2 of negotiations publicly defending Azerbaijan’s policies.
A day at COPCAS: Livestreams and Visitors and Briefings, Oh My!

A day at COPCAS: Livestreams and Visitors and Briefings, Oh My!

A glimpse on Eme Dean-Lewis' experience spending a day in the COP Climate Action Studio
“Metal Rush”: How should mining be approached?

“Metal Rush”: How should mining be approached?

  Written by Orestis Aslanidis, PhD student with SCENARIO DTP, University of Reading, UK.     Across the world, public protests against new mining projects have been common (1). A big concern of the protestors ...
Demystifying COP language

Demystifying COP language

Disentangling the web of acronyms and the many iterations of the methodologies used in the Paris Agreement relating to carbon market can be challenging. However, it is important that COP stays accessible for as many people as possible as the issues being discussed and the negotiations have repercussions for everyone.
Great Start for our COP Climate Action Studio 2024

Great Start for our COP Climate Action Studio 2024

We look forward to welcoming our students to the Climate Action Studio for the start of COP.  Make sure you stay in touch and look out for blogs and other outputs from COPCAS that can help you make sense of COP29 developments.