The University of Minnesota can send up to 12 people to observe this year’s international climate negotiations, Conference of the Parties (COP25), in Santiago, Chile, December 2-13, 2019. The Institute on the Environment (IonE) organizes the observer delegation under the authority of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

COP25 Observer Delegation Opportunity for UMN Faculty, Staff & Graduate Students

If you would like to be an observer delegate from the University, you must do research or teaching related to climate change and have your own funding for travel and lodging. You may be able to attend COP25, either in the first week, Dec 2-7, 2018 or in the second week, Dec 8-13, 2019, by filling in this form by Oct 5, 2019. A determination will be made in October. Humphrey School of Public Affairs graduate students with relevant research have already expressed interest in attending COP25.

Last year, the University sent 12 people to observe the 24th Conference of the Parties (COP24). The University’s COP24 delegation shared many stories and pictures about their experience.

COP25 Travel Costs Will Be Reasonable

COP25 host city Santiago, a metropolitan area of more than 6 million people, is the capital and economic center of Chile. Santiago has plentiful accommodations for COP observers, at a variety of prices. Initial travel research indicates flights will cost about $800 to $1400 and a week’s accommodation will be $200 and on up. Consider the climate impact of your own travel and consider commercially available offsets or other ways of communicating the value of your experience.

COP25 Coverage

Livestreaming of COP25 climate negotiation sessions will be freely available at https://unfccc.int during COP25. Coverage of UMN COP25 observer experiences will be available here, and through social media. Look for an announcement on when the UMN observer delegation will be speaking on campus, upon their return.