COP30 has seen almost 200 countries coming together to address progress on climate change and negotiate future action.
The 30th annual meeting run by the United Nations (UN) is taking place in Belém, Brazil, from 10 November to 21 November 2025.
Themes to be discussed this year at the COP meeting include “transitioning energy systems, building climate resilient cities, transforming agriculture and unleashing the finance and technology necessary to combat climate change.”
Previous discussions have included limiting the global temperature to 1.5 degree Celsius, helping vulnerable communities adapt to the effects of climate change, and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
The University of Edinburgh will be represented at COP30 by several academics, including Professor Liz Grant, Magnus Course, Dr Maya Mayblin, Dr Iain McNicol, Dr Pablo Sanchez Martinez; and PhD student Lion Martius.
Academics from Edinburgh take with them a collection of papers outlining the research taking place at the institution titled ‘Advancing action Edinburgh’s Research and Reflections for COP30 and the Future’, which will be distributed at the conference.
The University of Edinburgh has a strong commitment to sustainability, with a formal commitment to be net zero by 2040, and a framework that aims to make the promotion of sustainable actions “business as usual.”
In the QS World University Rankings on sustainability in 2024, the University of Edinburgh came third in the UK, sixth in Europe, and 15th globally.
Events will also be taking place on campus, with the Edinburgh Climate Change Institute (ECCI) hosting a COP Café, beginning on 12 November.
A further event on 19 November will allow for learning and discussion with a COP30 explainer, a panel of local voices, and interactive breakout sessions.
Societies have also been given the opportunity to apply for COP30 digital passes, with a new Green Hub available to book for sustainable events in Appleton Tower.
“12-1-2024 Discurso na COP 29 em Baku capital do Azerbaijão” by Vice-Presidência da República (VPR) is licensed under CC BY 2.0.