Forskarskola Energisystem’s Post

UChicago at COP29: Eugene's Reflection Eugene McCarty is a Class of 2026 student majoring in Molecular Engineering and Economics. Eugene has a passion for science, engineering, and the environment. He's explored these interests on campus as an environmental frontiers research assistant with the Mansueto Institute for Urban Innovation, University of Chicago, a member of the Energy & Climate Club, and a participant in the Green Data and Engineering Fellows cohort programs. For Eugene, one highlight of his time at COP has been the opportunity to meet policymakers and diplomats. Read Eugene's reflection below for more on his experience at the conference! "My name is Eugene McCarty, and I am a third-year Molecular Engineering and Economics double major in the College. I really enjoyed the talks with specific policy makers and negotiators, especially the individual ambassadors and the group of US negotiators that we set up. "Being able to see and meet representatives from countries all around the world, even ones that aren’t as much of a large presence on the global political stage, is my favorite part of COP29 because it is extremely inspiring witnessing people from the most diverse backgrounds possible all agree on a common point of interest: climate change. "The fact that global collaboration exists to this degree raises a lot of climate optimism for me, which is a point of view I’ve always found difficult to hold regarding climate change." 📷 UChicago Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth #uchicago #UChicagoAtCOP #climatechange

Say hello to our 2024/25 Earth Fellows! Next up in our profile series is Katherine Taylor: Postgraduate Earth Fellow: University engagement with COP Katherine is a PhD researcher within the School of GeoSciences at the University of Edinburgh researching compound drought and heatwave events and whether these can be reconstructed over the last millennium to understand future climate risks. As an Earth Fellow, Katherine will be ensuring that the University is able to engage effectively with both Biodiversity and Climate COP - identifying links between the University research areas and the priorities for both meetings. Prior to starting her PhD, Katherine worked in a variety of roles across the Civil Service developing her interest in climate policy and governance.   Q: What is your background and how do you think it will help you in your work as an Earth Fellow?    My background is in climate science, particularly long-term climate reconstruction and the causes and impacts of anthropogenic climate change. Following the completion of an MPhil in Holocene Climates, I worked in a variety of roles across the Civil Service providing me with exposure to the policymaking process, and experience of managing stakeholders and evaluating progress against organisational aims. This background will help me to translate science and policy-focused documents into material that is relevant to the stakeholders that I will be working with and apply the findings of the project to the University’s engagement with COP going forward.   Q: What is your project at the Edinburgh Earth Initiative about, and what is your role within it?   My project aims to ensure that the University is able to engage effectively with COP and will involve evaluating the ability of the University to contribute to international policy, the opportunities to develop partnerships to progress biodiversity and climate goals, and assessing how the learnings from COP meetings can aid in meeting the University’s sustainability targets. I will be briefing COP attendees on the themes and priorities for each conference and developing a monitoring and evaluation framework to assess the University engagement with COP both at the conference and via on campus events. Watch this space for updates on Katherine’s work and how The University of Edinburgh is engaging with COP29 Azerbaijan. #climatechange #COP29 #research #postgraduate #earthfellow #policy #engagement

I had the pleasure to moderate a roundtable at the Institut français de Prague last week on the topic of “The scientific community and climate change: informing, raising awareness, taking action” with Jana Dlouhá (Charles University), Zuzana Harmáčková (CzechGlobe) and Gilles Lepesant (CEFRES), with introductory and closing speeches from Ambassador Stéphane Crouzat. Needless to say, 90 minutes was challenging to even capture the surface of this multifaceted topic. We touched upon the need for real scientific independence, for an interdisciplinary approach, for a stronger focus on humanities and social science (in particular through a sociological lens of climate change) and for - even though this was debated (that was the point!) - more scientific voices in the public debate. My takeaway is that the scientific community has, more than ever, a crucial role to play in guiding us towards actionable and desirable futures. It is unequivocal that the knowledge produced and disseminated over the past 30 years, notably thanks to the meta-analysis carried out by the IPCC during its successive assessment cycles, has helped citizens make their voice heard and policymakers design and implement policies that avoided the very worst of possible climate futures (an oft-forgotten fact…). But the last UNEP Emissions Gap report (https://lnkd.in/dXdfveQ3) is a stark reminder that current climate action is still a far cry from truly transformative and safe changes. While 1.5°C is still within reach (#Parisisnotdead), albeit hanging by a thread, it becomes virtually impossible to achieve that without overshoot, and this matters a great deal for the most vulnerable communities (https://lnkd.in/dRHh7sD8). We need to do much more and to do it far better. It is time to listen closely to what all the scientific communities have to say about the transition. The example of the UK’s Climate Change Committee, which recently offered advice on the level of the country’s 2035 NDC to the UK Government (i.e. an 81% reduction in 2035, from a 1990 baseline) epitomises the fruitful interplay between science and policymaking, since their advice is usually followed. The same can be said about France, with its High Council on Climate. Maybe it is time for the Czech Republic to get its own body? Read this AMO paper to understand why: https://lnkd.in/d2UqbM78. At a time when more and more climate scientists get abused and harassed online (https://lnkd.in/dX4PJuF4), leading to anxiety, depression or loss of productivity, it is important that we, citizens, understand that their research can help us achieve a fossil fuel phase-out and a transformation of our food systems in the most equitable and just way possible. If you feel like there is a gap between climate science and you, I urge you to read the wonderful comic “Horizons climatiques”. Thanks Simon Gilmer for lending me a copy!

🌍 As #COP29 comes to a close, strong winds of frustration are blowing out from Baku... but, amidst the challenges, there’s hope and action coming out from #EUniWell ! While there are still some bittersweet reflections to be had, this collaboration is paving the way for substantial contributions and the development of innovative ideas. 💡 a group of brilliant PhD and masters students are working together to shape impactful policy briefs that address critical challenges #staytuned for updates and join us in shaping a more #sustainable #future! 💪✨ #EUniWell #Sustainability #ResearchToAction #COP29

This week, world leaders and stakeholders are meeting in Baku for #COP29. Here are a few articles from our archives than can help contextualize these talks, both in terms of whose voice matters and the context of climate change and forward-thinking international politics. They are all free to read for the next two weeks! 📄 From 2006 "The climate as political space: on the territorialisation of the global carbon cycle" by Eva Lövbrand and Johannes Stripple. https://lnkd.in/eT6e3eCj 📄 From 2017 "The stakeholder model paradox: How the globalisation of politics fuels domestic advocacy" by Marcel Hanegraaff and Arlo Poletti. 📄 From 2019 "Norm entrepreneurship and diffusion ‘from below’ in international organisations: How the competent performance of vulnerability generates benefits for small states" by Jack Corbett, Yi-Chong Xu, and Patrick Weller https://lnkd.in/e474Q_6a 📄 From 2024 "Reproducing socio-ecological life from below: Towards a planetary political economy of the global majority" by Lisa Tilley and Cemal Burak Tansel https://buff.ly/3UA2N4t

I’m pleased to share completion of certification for advanced study of sustainability focusing mostly on the adopted concept of Net Zero in the science behind climate change. Learning outcomes included: 1. UN Climate Change Bodies and Treaties 2. Socioeconomic Impacts of Climate Change 3. GHG Emissions by Sector 4. Carbon footprint 5. Renewable energy synthesis 6. Carbon Sinks

The 11th r3.0 International (online) Conference 'Tipping Points on Tipping Points - Building Necessary Collapse Resilience' on September 10/11 has four main themes, each with extraordinary speakers. Session 1 on 'Tipping Points - the Positives & the Negatives': exploring both sides of rapid phase shifts in complex adaptive systems. We'll consider not only adverse effects that can trigger tipping points -- hothouse earth, wet bulb temperature thresholds, gross racial & wealth inequality, etc... -- but also beneficial tipping points, with a particular focus on those that avoid or ameliorate ecological and social collapse dynamics. The science is pretty clear that they do exist. So it’s a question of what role they can be anticipated to play. Chidi Oti Obihara will anchor the dialogue in personal examples of social tipping points, drawing on his own conversion experience to the Green Party, his work advocating for fossil fuel phase-out (before its broader embrace by the International Energy Agency and COP28), and reflections on potential future positive social tipping points.  Get your ticket at https://lnkd.in/e8QSWjVX and be with us for all 4 conference topics, discussed on September 10/11 online.

By bringing data to life, this video enhances our understanding of effective climate policies. #ClimateResearch #PolicyImpact

🌍 As the world faces the pressing need for climate action, european economics decided to participate in Climate Week NYC 2024 on September 22-29.  Our commitment to sustainability is demonstrated through over €39 billion in public funding for 237 groundbreaking projects across Europe - of which €7.9 billion just last year. Our specialised services secure State aid and European funding that are decisive for strategic projects focused on decarbonisation and breakthrough innovation to actually happen - like floating offshore wind farms, battery gigafactories or clean hydrogen-based steelmaking. As COP29 approaches and global discussions on climate action intensify at Climate Week NYC 2024, european economics is eager to share insights from its extensive experience and will be featured this week on SDG Interviews, a documentary series that explores the global sustainability movement. 🎥Our interview, highlighting key strategies for driving green innovation and decarbonisation, will soon air on CNBC.com. Stay tuned! 🚀 #ClimateWeekNYC #Sustainability #Decarbonisation #europeaneconomics #ClimateAction #COP29 #stateaid #publicfunding

Science-based targets are misleading‼️ I have been arguing for a few years now that many of the so-called science-based target initiatives are inherently unequal. I have repeatedly pointed to the colonialist approach when deciding how much of the remaining #carbon budget gets allocated to countries and organizations in the global north. #climateinequality People like Bill Baue has constantly warned on the many pitfalls in the Science Based Targets initiative, from administrative shady behaviour, to methodological shortcomings. Now, in this new paper published in Nature, and titled: 𝐒𝐜𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞-𝐛𝐚𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭𝐬 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 The authors, on the climate inequality topic say: “𝘛𝘰 𝘢𝘥𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘭𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘶𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘶𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘴 𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨, 𝘪𝘯𝘤𝘭𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴, 𝘱𝘰𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘴𝘤𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘴𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘰-𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘰𝘳𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘣𝘶𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘨𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘴 𝘈𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵, 𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘰𝘣𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘣𝘺 𝘯𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘸 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘳𝘺 𝘥𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯-𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘦𝘴.” Link to the paper: https://lnkd.in/dRikarP6