COP 29 Reflections, Sophia Tidler: Absorbing COP |

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Conference of the Parties (COP) is such a vast learning space with tireless absorption potential. Putting my experience into a little blog post is simply an impossible task. However, I will explain why I chose to go, what track I followed, and a few conversations I observed as a Richardson student observer.

Should I stay or should I go? Why I attended COP

Carbon Footprint and Supporting a Major Oil State. Attending COP is a weighty decision, often more significant than what one does while there. For me, it was driven by curiosity, frustration, and the excitement of such an experience. The carbon footprint of hosting a COP, along with its impact on and support for the host communities, is a major consideration. Held halfway around the world from Hawai‘i, COP29 took place in a major oil-producing country embroiled in war and an active resistance movement from its Armenian ethnic community. Before attending, I conducted a carbon emissions analysis and found that the cumulative emissions from COP1 through COP27 compared to the projected 2030 emissions reductions from agreements (NDCs) had a ratio of 5,150:1. So, was it worth it? My answer is both yes and no—ultimately, if I’m going to COP, I need to bring my whole self and it better be good.

For Alaska. A major part of my decision to attend law school was to advocate for the health of Alaska land and waters, as well as Alaska Natives. Alaska is the only Arctic state in the nation, with environmental threats experienced on a far more rapid rate than those in the lower forty-eight. My decision to attend COP was deeply influenced by a desire to assess how the United States represents and supports Alaska and Alaska Natives in global climate discussions.

Indigenous Peoples & Local Communities Track

Despite being one of the communities most impacted by climate change, Alaska Natives were largely absent from COP. The only exception was a woman from the village of Kwigillingok brought by the Alaska Institute for Justice to speak on a panel about human rights-based approaches to community-driven relocation. This immediately raised personal alarm bells as I followed the Indigenous discussions and noticed a glaring gap: the absence of Alaskan subsistence and cosmological perspectives in conversations shaping what would be presented as a representative whole offered by the Local Communities and Indigenous Peoples (LCIP). I spoke with UN officials involved in supporting Indigenous participation at COP and had a long insightful coffee chat with the U.S. White House diplomat Ian Parker to discuss my concerns. He provided valuable perspective and patiently listened as I voiced my fears and frustrations over the lack of Alaska Native representation in discussions critical to their climate-threatened livelihoods.

Fortuitously sitting behind the COP speaker, Brazilian Minister Sônia Guajajara.

3 Pavilion Chats (I attended many)

WHO Pavilion. I attended a World Health Organization (WHO) pavilion discussion emphasizing the interconnectedness of climate health, forest conservation, and Indigenous knowledge. Key takeaways included the importance of recognizing nature as an intrinsic part of human life, integrating traditional ecological knowledge (TEK) with scientific data for environmental monitoring, and supporting Indigenous-led conservation efforts such as the Puanca Fund. Speakers highlighted the role of Indigenous communities as stewards of biodiversity, advocating for the rematriation of bison and the rewilding of ecosystems to restore natural balances. Additionally, the discussions emphasized the link that mental health has to environmental well-being, particularly through reconnecting displaced communities to their ancestral lands.

U.S. Pavilion. The most dense and informative discussion I attended with the least personal background was in the U.S. Pavilion on International trade and climate finance. It was also one of my favorites; the speaker was a CitiBank head honcho senior with so much knowledge to share. His talk focused on the challenges of mobilizing private capital for sustainable infrastructure, addressing regulatory barriers, and ensuring equitable distribution of climate funds. The role of multilateral development banks (MDBs). He scrutinized the role, particularly regarding their ability to bridge the gap between financial commitments and real-world implementation. The speaker said there are “not enough projects” for investment, which is a tragic reality given the ongoing need for climate adaptation, disaster risk mitigation, and infrastructure protection. Another key concern were regulatory frameworks calling for financial systems to integrate climate risks, ensure solvency in insurance markets, and support developing nations in navigating foreign exchange risks.

Nordic Pavilion. I got sucked into a pavilion discussion on circular economies through the built environment by my background in concrete and general interest in construction and decommissioning. The built environment emerged as a critical sector for climate action, with discussions highlighting the significant carbon footprint of construction materials such as concrete and steel. The session explored sustainable building strategies, including upcycling materials, designing for multi-use adaptability, and implementing stricter standards for embodied carbon reductions. The speakers emphasized that Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs) are a means to measure and standardize climate impacts in construction. However, the speaker raised concerns about the applicability of these standards in the Global South, where infrastructure capacity remains limited, and made for increased investment in circular economies and knowledge-sharing networks to ensure global sustainability efforts are inclusive.

Links

Here are some cool links I collected (in no particular order):

Caption: My favorite travel companion (Emily Sarasa) and a picture that cannot express how Azerbaijanians are some of the most humble, kind, and helpful people I’ve encountered.