LIVE COP29: A Blended Intensive Programme Positioning EUniWell Students at the Forefront of the Climate Action
The Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) “LIVE COP29: Towards a EUniWell Delegation to COP” is organised by the University of Florence in cooperation with other EUniWell partners, including the University of Cologne, the University of Konstanz, Linnaeus University, University of Murcia, Nantes Université and Universidade de Santiago de Compostela. BIPs are short mobilities funded by the European Union’s Erasmus+ programme, designed to promote intensive learning experiences and knowledge exchange for students and staff.
A Blended Intensive Programme for Master and PhD students
The LIVE COP29 BIP targets Masters and PhD students from the EUniWell Alliance, aiming to create a pilot Student Virtual Delegation to the Conference of the Parties (COP). The COP is an annual UN summit where nations gather to assess global climate progress and negotiate ambitious targets to mitigate and adapt to climate change and in November 2024, the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) will convene in Baku, Azerbaijan.
The idea of the LIVE COP29 BIP was developed within the EUniWell Arena on Environmental Change and Well-Being to initiate projects that position the Alliance in the global climate change discourse and equip students with skills in climate policy and data analysis, international negotiations, sustainable development, climate communication and climate activism. The programme consists of a first phase of online workshops and lectures in November and December 2024, and a second phase of workshops and a conference in Florence in February 2025. The students will be divided into 7 groups corresponding to the 7 thematic days of COP29. Each group will then develop a policy brief on a key issue emerging from COP29, which will be presented during the final conference in Florence on 21 February 2025.
In early December 2024, the virtual student delegation to COP29 will follow online lectures on climate negotiations, climate modelling, ecological economics and inequality with professors from the EUniWell Alliance and external experts. In February 2025, the students will gather in Florence to refine their policy briefs through interactive workshops, including discussions with international experts who will address students’ questions and assist in shaping well-founded policy recommendations. Students’ policy briefs will be presented at the final conference on 21 February 2025 in front of an audience of international experts, sustainability officers from Alliance universities, and civil society representatives.
Strengthening the role of European University Alliances in the global climate change dialogue
Beyond creating an opportunity for innovative learning and networking for students, the LIVE COP29 aims at raising awareness about the importance of universities, and in particular the European Universities Alliances, in the international climate change debate, connecting with philanthropic organisations and civil society groups, amplifying the impact of academia in addressing climate challenges.
Universities play a key role in the promotion of sustainability at different levels. At the infrastructural level, universities can serve as hubs for best practices in sustainability, by increasing the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency and reducing water and food waste while improving waste management. EUniWell is developing a Sustainable Campus Initiative and “Green My Community” framework to promote and share best practices, initiatives and actions across Alliance’s universities. A working group within the Arena Environmental Change and Well-Being is developing these initiatives, which reflect a vision of the university as a key actor in promoting a culture of sustainability across the university community. Universities have a great responsibility in preparing the youth to respond to climate emergencies, encouraging critical thinking and developing green and soft skills. Moreover, European University Alliances can enhance cooperation with the local and international communities, linking the academic world with local communities to generate more impact and to foster co-creation, key ingredients for climate justice and inclusive development. By bringing together administrators, students and academics from different countries, European University Alliances have incredible transformative power. This aligns closely with EUniWell’s core principle of becoming a civic university with well-being at its heart.
Further information
Find more information about COP29 at https://cop29.az/en/home.
Contact
If you are interested in this initiative and other initiatives related to Environmental Change and Well-Being, please contact Sara Ronco, Research Manager at the University of Florence, Coordinator of the EUniWell Arena on Environmental Change and Well-Being, at sara.ronco[at]unifi.it.
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