With global temperatures reaching record highs and extreme weather events intensifying, COP30 is a critical moment for global climate governance. This year, the conference is taking place at the edge of the Amazon and with Brazil green-lighting oil drilling near the mouth of Amazon River only weeks before the kick-off of the COP, urgency is rising.
Join us for a comprehensive debrief on the 30th Conference of Parties (COP30), which took place in Belém, Brazil between 10 and 21 November 2025. This edition of the annual climate summit secured several wins, while resulting in some disappointments. Despite many divisions, foundations were laid for collaborations beyond the summit.
What were the major outcomes, negotiations and controversies that shaped COP30? Our guest speakers will offer an expert analysis and forward-looking insights. Prof. Philipp Pattberg (Institute for Environmental Studies at VU Amsterdam) will open the event with introductory remarks on global environmental governance, Stephanie Okafor (Public Affairs International at Jonge Klimaatbeweging) will share insights on the preparation for the climate summit, Dr. Daniel Muth (Institute for Environmental Studies at VU Amsterdam) and Cléo Dorel-Watson (COP30 team lead at Jonge Klimaatbeweging), who were in Belém to participate in this climate summit, will share their first-hand experiences from the Conference. These flash talks will be followed by a Q&A segment with the audience. The event will be concluded by Prof. Pattberg who will share closing remarks.
Conference of Parties (COP) is the series of formal meetings, where world leaders come together to measure progress to advance the Paris Agreement and the Convention, and assess the efforts to limit global warming to 1.5°C as informed by the latest science. COPs are meant to serve as a space for negotiating the best ways to address climate change, leading to global change in the fight against the ongoing climate crisis. However, many critiques have been raised over the years, questioning the effectiveness of these meetings and stressing that these climate summits might be no longer "fit for purpose" (Harvey et al., 2024).
This SDG Academy will be taking place in-person. For those based in and around Amsterdam, join us at the Green Office VU (HG KC18) from 16:00 onwards and make sure to stay for a borrel and additional chats afterwards.
