The COP meetings as a carnival
I am often asked what these "Conference of the Parties" - or COPs - are like. COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is the 14th COP I have attended. Each one is distinct, but they are similar as a type of climate change carnival. I present this metaphor descriptively and not critically. At the COPs there are five different types of activities going on simultaneously. One, of course, is the negotiation sessions - meetings in which country delegates negotiate a wide range of climate change issues. Second, there are side events. These are typically panels much like one might experience at an academic or professional conference. The side event topics address both technical and human dimensions of the climate crisis. Third, booths or exhibits are featured. These are presented primarily by non-government organizations. The exhibits present materials from those organizations. Fourth, the COPs include numerous Pavilions, most of which are country-specific. Among my favorites are the Indonesian Pavilion, the European Union Pavilion, and this year, the Civil Society Pavilion. Each Pavilion schedules its own side events. Finally, The COPs feature Hubs, such as the Capacity Building Hub. My organizations - Mediators Beyond Borders International and the International Environmental Communication Association, are participating in activities at the Hub, presenting a Side Event, and maintaining a booth during the second week of COP 28. Just like a carnival, there is a lot of activity - with challenging choices of where to invest one's time!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI definitely did not expect a conference of the parties to resemble a carnival. My mental picture would have been a large circular room, where a bunch of powerful diplomats scream at each other and heavy security keeps anyone else out of the building. I think this structure is strange, but I don't think it is a bad one. I believe that their is a place for everyone when it comes to the climate, as we all live on earth and are all effected by climate change, so I am glad that normal people can come to these events to mingle, learn, and teach. I would love to some day be able to attend one of these conferences, so that I could experience the atmosphere and tour all of the exhibits that are present. I would also not turn down the opportunity to visit one of the hubs. I encourage the Conference of the Parties to continue to keep its doors open to the public, so that more may learn about the dire situation of the climate and what we need to do to save our earth.
ReplyDelete-Ashton Miller Section 32
I agree, I think it is very important to keep these important negotiations that affect all of us on the planet open to the public. I also like how there are many different places that people can be, and that its not just one huge conference room. The way its set up seems to make it easier for people to find things that pertain to them rather than the event organizers just making a program that they expect everyone to find relevant. I like how it provides the opportunities for each country to present about the issues that matter most to them.
DeleteThat sounds incredibly hectic. What happens if you want to be at multiple different types of activities? Are there multiple days of the Conference of the Parties so that you can experience all of the difference things available to you? I personally believe that my favorite part of the Conference of the Parties would be the booths or exhibits because it would allow me to pick and choose what I get to learn about. What is your favorite type of activity to do at the COP and why is it your favorite?
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like a lot of fun! Definitely preferable to a conference room where everybody is stuck in one place with no room to discover or explore. In that sense, I see where you got the 'carnival' metaphor from. Although, I can see how that could get a bit overwhelming, so many different things in one place, how could it not be? I hope to attend one of these events someday. It seems like an incredible thing to experience, without a doubt.
ReplyDeleteThis is not what I had assumed a COP meeting would be like, this is very enlightening. I think having these events in more of a 'carnival' type set up would be helpful for learning, being able to walk around and visit different stations if you will. I bet going to a COP meeting would be fun and hectic, but I'm sure extremely informative and offers many different perspectives on issues.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.un.org/en/climatechange/cop26
This article talks about UN climate change meetings, and what the goals of it are. I think this article offers a good insight into what the UN does with regards to climate change.
Yeah, a carnival is not what I had in mind at all when hearing "Conference of Parties". It guess I kind of envisioned something that resembled c-span hearings. It sounds a lot more interesting and engaging now, knowing that there are many different events to participate in, and many opportunities to have conversation with people from around the world.
ReplyDeleteAfter writing this I googled COP28 and found they have a YouTube channel with livestreams and speaker highlights from people including John Kerry and Bill Gates. https://www.youtube.com/@COP28UAEOfficial/videos
I've been to local conferences where research is presented, and even local conferences sometimes mimic the metaphor that you alluding to (On a smaller scale, of course). In my experience, I've often enjoyed the way that conferences are structured, because it does give you so much to invest in. I think if I were to attend an event like a COPs, I'd find a lot of interest in the Pavilion. Especially being in a foreign country, I believe that is where I'd learn the most information among all of the activities.
ReplyDeleteSince I'll be temporarily living in Canada, I decided to look at the COP of Canada and found their website which describes their "three guiding pillars", which are ambition, implementation, and partnership. After reading this, I now know that Canada values Indigenous rights and partnerships.
https://www.canada.ca/en/environment-climate-change/services/canada-pavilion.html
When I read the title "The COP meetings as a carnival" I interpreted it to have more of a circus meaning; that they were full of clowns and time-wasters, so I was surprised when the simile was actually referring to time management. I wonder since you've been to half of the COP meetings which one has been your favorite, or the one that you felt was the most effective in discussing the climate crisis? I was also curious about what more specific things would be discussed during COP 28, so I found this short article that I found useful for a brief overview: https://sdg.iisd.org/events/2023-un-climate-change-conference-unfccc-cop-28/
ReplyDeleteI definitely would not imagine something like the COP meetings as a carnival, but after you now described it, it is kind of crazy. I feel like something of this importance would have more planning and thought into it.
ReplyDeleteProfessor Walker, your vivid description of COP meetings as a climate change carnival offers a fascinating glimpse into the multifaceted nature of these gatherings. The metaphorical lens of a carnival paints a dynamic picture, capturing the diverse range of activities that unfold during COPs.
ReplyDeleteAs with any carnival, the challenge of deciding where to invest one's time highlights the wealth of opportunities and the importance of strategic engagement. Your updates from COP 28 in Dubai provide a valuable window into the bustling, dynamic world of climate change discussions. Thank you for sharing this engaging perspective!
These meetings seem a lot more reminiscent of a conference or an expo kind of thing than I previously thought. I have attended some conferences with my father for his work, and this just sounds like one of those conferences.
ReplyDeleteI think the COP meetings being structured as a multi-event gathering is a fantastic way to allow not just policy makers and politicians, but everyday people to be involved with climate crisis discussion. These side panels are an excellent way to educate the common person about not only the basics of the climate discussion, but the more nuanced topics that may be less accessible through mainstream media consumption. This allows a larger portion of the population to be more critical towards the policy and actions that politicians and policy makers propose, which may put "positive" pressure on those parties. Hopefully, this will encourage more effective and ambitious policy to be passed sooner rather than later.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very interesting metaphor, and not one that I had seen employed before to describe these meetings. While unexpected, structuring these crucial meetings as a "carnival" does seem to make a lot of sense. It gives a wide variety of governments and organizations, no matter how small, the opportunity to share their ideas with the world and hopefully have a positive impact in the fight against climate change. The carnival style also further opens up civilian involvement in the event and allows for a broader spread of ideas and engagement. I think its very important that these meetings be seen as accessible for the broader public, rather than some cabal making decisions that could control the way that we live our lives.
ReplyDeleteI believe that referring to the COPs as a carnival is a very apt description. It does lead to wonder though; how exactly can you stay engaged with every single different activity or event at the same time? Do you sometimes have to sacrifice involvement with one event in order to get to another? Although you may be able to see many different topics at one time, I feel that it may be detrimental to the being able to learn as much information as possible. Though, until I go to one, I won't know for sure.
ReplyDeleteReferring to the COP meetings as a "carnival" is not an initial that thought that I had in mind. After reading the description of what these meetings are like, I wonder how you (Dr. Walker) chose what activities to participate in. When I think of conferences, I imagine them to be extensive (sometimes boring) and centered around a singular activity, however, the structure of these COP meetings seems to provide more opportunities for you to learn, connect, and meet with people with all different backgrounds from all around the world. The third section of these meetings; featured booths and exhibits to me sound like the more exciting parts of attending because it sounds like a great opportunity to walk around and discover climate issues/concerns that you may have never observed before. The "carnival" style structure of these meetings provides opportunities for everyone's voice to be expressed and heard which I think is incredibly important—in order to spread awareness and share ideas with one another.
ReplyDeleteJoining a COP meeting would probably be exciting, but it would also be quite educational and provide a wide range of viewpoints on various topics. One day, I hope to have the opportunity to visit one of these conferences, just to take in the ambiance and see all of the available displays. These side panels are a great approach to educate consumers about more complex subjects related to climate change that may not be as easily accessible through mainstream media consumption, in addition to the fundamentals of the issue.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe global climate catastrophe is a complicated issue that needs swift and coordinated response. The way you described COPs emphasizes the complexity of dealing with climate change: talks, educational side events, exhibitions from non-governmental organizations, national pavilions, and specialist hubs. It highlights the variety of approaches needed to address the crisis's technical and human aspects. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5°C is a reference that I highly suggest. This study is an essential resource for comprehending the gravity and extent of the climate catastrophe as it offers a thorough scientific evaluation of the effects of global warming and the steps that must be taken to slow down temperature increases. You can find the report on the IPCC website: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/
With so many people and panels I imagine there would be much to learn, and lots of new information to take in. Aside from blogs, I wonder how attendees like to organize their thoughts and keep track of interesting ideas. From my experience attending a huge art conference I know it can be easy to feel bummed after not having time to visit every panel. I would hope many of the events are recorded or have some sort of online publication for those who couldn’t attend. Are there any language barriers with so many countries being represented? Do these events attract many climate change deniers?
ReplyDeleteI feel that carnivals as a metaphor have been phasing out over the years. I am part of a bonsai club that describes their meetings as a 5 ring circus. However, with the reduction of carnivals and circuses, so has there been a reduction in their usage as a metaphor. The closest I have been to either is the county or state fair (both of which were mostly spent exhibiting livestock).
ReplyDelete