Climate Change Negotiations Research Articles

Individual attendance data for over 30 years of international climate change talks

The international community has formally negotiated over climate change since 1991. The annual meetings that host these negotiations have seen an ever-growing number of individuals representing countries, international organizations, or non-governmental organizations. These meetings and their attendees have accordingly become the focal point of international climate change cooperation for both the international community and scholars studying climate change politics. Yet, researchers have been unable to access and analyze comprehensive attendee-level data pertaining to these negotiations in terms of attendees’ names, genders, job titles, delegations, divisions, and affiliations. In applying text-as-data techniques to attendance roster PDFs, we extract and build attendee-level datasets for all annual negotiations held under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and its precursor, 1991–2023. These data include original language and English-translated information on 27,470 unique delegations and 310,200 attendees over a 32-year period. Summaries and validations in turn highlight the promise of our data for the study of attendance patterns and characteristics across delegations and over time.

Quantifying energy transition vulnerability helps more just and inclusive decarbonization.

The COP28 agreement signals "beginning of the end" of the fossil fuel era, calling on countries to contribute to global efforts to transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a just, orderly and equitable manner. While a quantitative assessment of country's vulnerability in energy transition is a prerequisite for national and international policy makers to ensure a just and inclusive transition, it is notably absent in the existing research. Here, we develop a conceptual framework based on the vulnerability scoping diagram (VSD) method to assess differences in energy transition vulnerability across countries, with a specific focus on the challenges associated with transitioning away from fossil fuels. The resulting energy transition vulnerability index (ETVI) scores reveal that countries in the Global South generally exhibit higher vulnerability in their energy transition compared to those in the Global North, and this gap has widened over the past decade. Moreover, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the decade-long trend of continuous decline in global energy transition vulnerability. This study also provides two important applications of ETVI scores, aligning them with major global sustainable development agenda. Firstly, we identify substantial differences in the dynamics of transition vulnerability across seven major party groups in the international climate change negotiations and distinguish four energy transition statuses in relation to achieving global climate goals: Stressful, Leapfrog, Potential Challenges, and Less Painful. Secondly, we demonstrate crucial synergies between energy transition resilience and the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

India’s Diplomatic Engagement in Global Climate Change Negotiations: A Feminist Analysis

India’s Diplomatic Engagement in Global Climate Change Negotiations: A Feminist Analysis

Health at the centre of climate change negotiations: critical achievements from the COP28 Health Programme

Abstract

Enhancing Climate Change Resilience: Assessing Adaptation Needs, and Significance of Monitoring and Evaluation Systems

Losses and damages from climate change related extreme weather events and disasters require the development of adaptation measures to increase resilience to the adverse impacts of climate change. In line with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the Paris Agreement's Global Goal on Adaptation, Parties have developed strategies that include adaptation actions, but there are significant gaps in identification of adaptation needs and the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of actions to address them. Adaptation M&E systems are critical for measuring the success of adaptation actions, providing feedback from the implementation process, and identifying new actions. There is no global methodology for adaptation M&E. At international climate change negotiations in 2023, it was agreed that countries should operationalize their national adaptation M&E systems by 2030. The aim of this study is to evaluate adaptation M&E methodologies developed by countries at different development levels and to present future policy recommendations for the adaptation M&E system planned to be established in Turkey. The study reveals the necessity of up-to-date socio-economic data as well as climate data in determining adaptation needs and adaptation M&E systems. In Turkey, which is vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, for the success of adaptation actions, besides the rapid operationalization of adaptation M&E system, establishment of the system with an approach that includes all stakeholders in the process and considers adaptation actions as integrated with disaster risk management actions is an important requirement in the context of Turkey's international commitments, national security, and development.

A Commentary and Critique on Progress in Ocean and Climate Change Action at Recent COP Meetings

Abstract The ocean was finally recognized within the formal UN climate change negotiations at COP 25 in 2019. This result was due to a decades long multinational, collaborative effort spearheaded by the Global Ocean Forum under the inspired leadership of Dr. Biliana Cicin-Sain. This article describes some of the major events leading up to COP 25 and the developments in ocean-climate change activities at the following two COP meetings in Glasgow, Scotland (COP 26) and Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt (COP 27). Observations about each of the COP meetings are presented, and successes and failures are identified along the way. In particular, the importance of the formal dialogues on ocean and climate change are assessed, and the urgency of translating hopes and aspirations into real climate action for the ocean is highlighted in preparation for the COP 28 in Dubai in 2023.

The United Nations (UN) at Crossroads in 2022: An Assessment of ‘Geopolitical Tensions’ in International Relations (IR)

Purpose: This paper is an alarming assessment of the keynote address and remarks at the opening of the 77th General Assembly of the United Nations Organization (UN) by the Secretary-General to world leaders. The alarm is that the world, from small to big, powerful to the less powerful are “gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction,” and are not ready or willing to tackle the challenges that threaten humanity’s future – and the planet’s. “Our world is in peril – and paralyzed,” the Secretary-General Antonio Gutiérrez laments. Do these remarks collaborate with the daily multiplying effects of the Russia-Ukrainian war; the climate emergencies and devastating weather conditions around the world; the dire financial situation amidst poverty in developing countries and the setbacks in the UN Sustainable goals for 2030? Methodology: The basic problem facing research today and to anyone who tries to understand contemporary world politics is that there is so much material to look at; such as, which things matter and which do not. For instance, where on earth would you start if you wanted to explain the most important political processes: How, for example, would you explain the recent failure of climate change negotiations at the UN, amidst Africa’s position? How will one theorize ‘Brexit’ from the EU or the ‘gridlock in ‘colossal global dysfunction’, where nations meeting at the United Nations cannot agree on challenges threatening humanity’s future? This research employs a qualitative approach involving the collection and analysing of primary and secondary documents; as well as non-numerical data (e.g., text, video, or audio) to understand concepts, opinions, or experiences of plenaries of the UN; particularly, why this particular one - (the 77th Session) was alarming. Findings: For the first time in UN’s history, the international communities are undermining the work of the UN Security Council; of international law, peoples trust in democratic institutions, and most forms of international cooperation. There is ample evidence from the research findings that there is “a divergence between developed and developing countries; between North and South; between the privileged and that, the world becoming more dangerous by the day. In short, the world “is at the root of geopolitical tensions and the increasing lack of trust among countries, which is poisoning every area of global cooperation from vaccines to rid communicable diseases; sanctions to stop wars around the world; measures to reduce global temperature, and the need to reduce trade barriers for the benefit of particularly, developing countries in Africa. Unique contribution to theory, policy and practice: In IR theory, all nations work to increase their own power and not their opponents’. The nations that are able to manage and horde power most efficiently thrive; as they can easily eclipse the achievements of less powerful nations. In policy and practice, the UN is torn apart by gridlock within the plenary of the UN, as well as the Security Council, international institutions with powers to resolve international conflicts and misunderstandings are either paralyzed by division or have become undemocratic. The UN must therefore reform or be paralyzed by these colossal dysfunctions.

Global Climate Change Politics: Critical Appraisal of India’s Changing Role

Global warming and consequent climate change have emerged as serious issues and have started featuring on almost all multilateral forums with statements warning the global leadership to get increasingly proactive about addressing the issues. In world politics, countries are viewing climate change as an issue to gain influence in international politics. India is no exception to this rule and has been shaping its role as a rule-shaper and policy advocate and is an active participant in climate change negotiations. This article traces India’s role since the talks on climate change began as part of wider environmental concerns. It also enumerates the way global leadership viewed and addressed this pressing issue from time to time. The article provides a brief but critical account of India’s policy interventions at global and national levels to appraise India’s growing role and relevance.

Reflections from COP28: Resisting healthwashing in climate change negotiations.

Reflections from COP28: Resisting healthwashing in climate change negotiations.

External power dynamics and international climate governance in a crises-constrained world

ABSTRACT This paper explores equity in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations during a time of multiple overlapping global crises. Drawing on a combination of semi-structured interviews and a roundtable with key negotiators and observers engaged in the UNFCCC process during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as a collaborative ethnographic study and social media analysis on the 27th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP27), we find that inequities within the UNFCCC process reflect the broader social and geopolitical inequities at international and intranational levels. Multiple intersecting crises reinforce and compound these inequities for particularly marginalized and vulnerable groups and slow progress in tackling climate change in an equitable manner. Applying a critical climate justice lens, we show that in order for the climate negotiations to be resilient to global crises, the process needs to go beyond a surface-level attempt at achieving justice through representation and move towards a more active shifting of power to poor and climate-vulnerable countries and populations.

Environmental Politics Through the Use of Social Media to Spread the Issue of Climate Change and Land Fires

Social media is employed in various acts, one of which is related to social movements, as in the example of social movements against climate change that use social media. This study seeks to understand the social media used in the climate change social movement that occurred on social media. This research's value and analysis portion was delivered through a descriptive narrative and a qualitative technique. This study also used qualitative data analysis software (Q-DAS) to learn about the trends in social media conversations and themes. Twitter was the social media platform employed in this study. This study addresses the following question: Q1 What kind of relevant climate change theme is spreading on social media? Q2 Explain the role of hashtags in the climate change debate. Q3 What is the nature of the narrative that has propagated on social media about climate change subjects, and how relevant is it? Q4: How does climate change affect social movements from the standpoint of Green Politics? The findings of this study are as follows: 1.) The climate change topic gained traction on social media. The narrative in this example avoided utilizing hashtags to promote and provide information about climate change talks. 2.) There is still a link between the hashtags for climate change talks on social media. 3.) The narration on the climate change topic is dominating, with hashtags used to ensure that the narration spreads and that netizens pay attention. 4.) The social media climate change movement is a form of green political practice.

The environmental and economic effects of international cooperation on restricting fossil fuel supply

Achieving the Paris Agreement’s global temperature goal of keeping warming well below 2 °C and ideally 1.5 °C requires limiting fossil fuel production. In the United Nations climate change negotiations, this need is only beginning to be acknowledged. Nevertheless, as some countries have already adopted supply-side climate policies, initial cooperative activities have started, and calls grow for a fossil fuel treaty, questions arise about the prospects and possible effects of international cooperation on limiting fossil fuel supply. Combining qualitative insights on possible participants in a supply-side coalition with a quantitative analysis based on integrated assessment general equilibrium modelling, this article addresses these questions. Through k-means clustering based on fossil reserves per capita, fossil fuel rents and existing supply-side policies, we first identify which (groups of) countries are most likely to lead the formation of an international supply-side coalition, and which (groups of) countries are likely to follow. Drawing on these insights, we develop several scenarios for the evolution of international supply-side coalitions and compare these to a business-as-usual scenario. By doing so, we demonstrate the global and regional environmental, trade and macroeconomic effects of international cooperation on limiting fossil fuel supply and combining fossil supply restrictions with carbon pricing to meet the Paris goals. Our findings underscore the importance of pursuing supply-side and ambitious demand-side climate policies in parallel, and identify the scope and coverage, size of the coalition, and incentives for participation as key design elements for an international supply-side coalition.

Gender and Climate Change: The Role of Women in Climate Change Processes

Gender and climate change research has revealed that the causes and effects of climate change differ by gender. Women are affected differently by climate change impacts, and this calls for their participation at the decision-making table in climate change discourse processes. Despite their vulnerable position in society, women are seen as change agents in natural resource management, farming, innovation, and caregiving. As a result, in economies which are heavily natural resource reliant, women are critical for establishing resilient systems and ensuring climate change adaptation. In this review, we hypothesize by answering the question, "What roles do women play in the climate change adaptation and mitigation processes?” We uncover evidence to support the hypothesis that women act as climate change negotiators, clean technology ambassadors, climate-smart agriculture ambassadors, and climate change activists in the climate change processes using a systematic review system meta-analysis inspired by PRISMA and the Publish or Perish review tool as a form of qualitative analysis. We used over 40 pieces of literature to foster the evidence of the study.

Understanding the African Group of Negotiators in the multilateral negotiations on climate change

ABSTRACT This article examines the performance of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN) in global climate change negotiations. It provides theoretical insights on the priorities of the AGN, outlines how the African region self-organises in situations of regime complexity and critically analyses the inherent characteristics that create unique constraints to meaningful participation of the AGN in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The study finds that the political mandate of the AGN together with the consistent technical support from climate-focused continental institutions have strengthened the AGN in these negotiations, where the group has had a consistent set of priorities. The article also highlights areas that could enhance the performance of the AGN, including a critical examination of the effect of multiple coalition membership. The conclusion is that as subordinate actors the AGN is effectively contesting the rules and practices of contemporary global climate governance.

Emotions in Climate Change Negotiations: Emotional Approach of NGOs to the Issue of Loss and Damage

La rhétorique émotionnelle est souvent utilisée dans les stratégies de plaidoyer des acteurs non étatiques, mais la question des pertes et dommages pourrait introduire un nouveau contexte qui encourage l’émergence de stratégies émotionnelles et d’approches de la coopération spécifiques. La COP27 est parvenue à un accord décisif sur un nouveau fonds « pertes et dommages », qui rassemble les financements des pays développés afin d’aider les pays du sud à surmonter les dégâts liés aux changements climatiques. Cet article analyse la rhétorique émotionnelle d’acteurs tels que les organisations non gouvernementales de l’environnement (ONGE) qui s’engagent activement dans la défense des pertes et dommages dans les négociations internationales sur le climat. L’article introduit l’approche théorique du discours émotionnel invocateur dans le contexte des négociations climatiques et applique l’analyse du discours émotionnel pour identifier les émotions dominantes dans la rhétorique des ONGE. L’analyse révèle la complexité de l’approche émotionnelle employée par les ONGE, avec des émotions contradictoires intégrées dans leur rhétorique, qui oscille entre des émotions conflictuelles telles que l’indignation et la culpabilité, et la rhétorique coopérative de la solidarité. Cette étude contribue au nombre croissant de recherches sur les émotions dans les approches diplomatiques des acteurs non étatiques et souligne leur rôle important dans l’élaboration des négociations sur le climat.

The road to Durban and beyond: The progress of international climate change negotiations

The road to Durban and beyond: The progress of international climate change negotiations

Climate Change, Organizational Culture, and Symbolic Embeddedness in the Brazilian Amazon

This article contributes to the literature on institutions, organizations, and climate change by discerning how symbolic embeddedness mediates the external conditions and internal practices of organizations in a legal aid office in Brazil’s Amazon. This concept illuminates how legal, political, and social actors use symbolic resources, such as the framing of the law, to mobilize resources and articulate their interests. Field interviews and observations reveal that interactions during climate change negotiations can either facilitate or constrain actions to address social-ecological concerns. This study casts new light on how actors and organizations in the Global South can catalyze climate action and maintain social order in situations marked by ecological, institutional, and organizational instability.

Microbiology must be represented at climate change talks.

Microbiology must be represented at climate change talks.

Quantifying leadership in climate negotiations: A social power game.

We consider complex multistage multiagent negotiation processes such as those occurring at climate conferences and ask ourselves how can an agent maximize its social power, intended as influence over the outcome of the negotiation. This question can be framed as a strategic game played over an opinion dynamics model, in which the action of an agent consists in stubbornly defending its own opinion. We show that for consensus-seeking opinion dynamics models in which the interaction weights are uniform, the optimal action obeys to an early mover advantage principle, i.e. the agents behaving stubbornly in the early phases of the negotiations achieve the highest social power. When looking at data collected from the climate change negotiations going on at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, we find evidence of the use of the early mover strategy. Furthermore, we show that the social powers computed through our model correlate very well with the perceived leadership roles assessed through independent survey data, especially when non-uniform weights incorporating economical and demographic factors are considered.

When fairness is not enough: The disproportionate contributions of the poor in a collective action problem.

Many of our most pressing challenges, from combating climate change to dealing with pandemics, are collective action problems: situations in which individual and collective interests conflict with each other. In such situations, people face a dilemma about making individually costly but collectively beneficial contributions to the common good. Understanding which factors influence people's willingness to make these contributions is vital for the design of policies and institutions that support the attainment of collective goals. In this study, we investigate how inequalities, and different causes of inequalities, impact individual-level behavior and group-level outcomes. First, we find that what people judged to be fair was not enough to solve the collective action problem: if they acted according to what they thought was fair, they would collectively fail. Second, the level of wealth (rich vs. poor) altered what was judged to be a fair contribution to the public good more than the cause of wealth (merit vs. luck vs. uncertain). Contributions during the game reflected these fairness judgments, with poorer individuals consistently contributing a higher proportion of their wealth than richer participants, which further increased inequality-particularly in successful groups. Finally, the cause of one's wealth was largely irrelevant, mattering most only when it was uncertain, as opposed to resulting from merit or luck. We discuss implications for policymakers and international climate change negotiations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).