University of Minnesota Delegates Reflect on Lessons from COP30
In recent weeks, over a dozen University of Minnesota-affiliated participants took part in COP30. Held this year in Belém, Brazil, the Conference of the Parties is an annual convening of global leaders, delegates and observers to set goals and track progress on climate action.
The Institute on the Environment organized the University delegation, selecting those whose research, projects and communications are closely aligned with the issues under negotiation at COP30 – with the aim of supporting leaders who can apply the experience toward meaningful impact.
“Parties” – world leaders and their delegations – negotiate and implement international climate agreements. “Observers” – including academics, advocates and global stakeholders – attend proceedings to advise, communicate and organize around key issues.
Eight University community members attended as observers:
- Shane Stennes – Systemwide Chief Sustainability Officer, Office of Sustainability; UMN badge
- Sutirtha Lahiri – PhD student in conservation sciences, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; UMN badge
- Muhammad Taimoor Hayat – Master of Public Policy student, Humphrey School of Public Affairs; UMN badge
- Cuc Vu – PhD student in STEM education, College of Education and Human Development; Indiana University badge
- Kowsar Mohamed – Student member of the Board of Regents and PhD student, Department of Forest Resources, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; UMN badge
- Monica Nuñez Salas (Monica Nuñez) – PhD student, Department of Geography, Environment and Society, College of Liberal Arts; UMN badge
- Paulina Vergara Buitrago – PhD student in natural resources science and management, Department of Forest Resources, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; Master’s student in geographic information science (GIS), College of Liberal Arts; UMN badge
- Nadia Ali – Master of Development Practice student, Humphrey School of Public Affairs; Perspectives NGO badge
In addition, two University affiliates served as Party delegates representing their countries:
- Nfamara Dampha – Center director of the NatCap TEEMs Research Center, Department of Applied Economics, College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; The Gambia and the Least Developed Countries Group
- Subhechchha (Suby) Sharma – Postdoctoral fellow alum, Institute on the Environment; Nepal
Another twenty University representatives observed virtually.
COP30 delegates reflected on what stood out from Belém – and why it matters for Minnesota and beyond.
Shane Stennes, the systemwide chief sustainability officer at UMN, found hope in the energy of people at the conference. “The UN staff and country delegates I had the opportunity to observe this week were dedicated, thoughtful and incredibly capable,” Stennes shared on LinkedIn. “They and all of the other people I met renew my hope that we can meet the challenge of the climate crisis.”
A panel that Paulina Vergara Buitrago, a natural resources science and management PhD student, attended reinvigorated her commitment to her work. The panel focused on how young leaders connect community-based initiatives with international decision-making.
“It reinforced for me the value of integrating local knowledge, cultural perspectives and youth voices into environmental governance,” Buitrago wrote in a reflection about her experience. “This experience strengthened my commitment to collaborative approaches that bridge local realities with broader climate and sustainability policies.”
Sutirtha Lahiri, a conservation science PhD student, was particularly curious about how Indigenous communities would be heard at COP30. He was encouraged by an unprecedented turnout, noting that “Indigenous people not only showcased their cultural identity and diversity, but also had a seat at the table, voicing, negotiating, collaborating.”
At the same time, Lahiri acknowledged in a reflection that gaps remain. “With the highest number of fossil fuel lobbyists at a COP30, it remains to be seen how the conference will deliver on the voices and demands for a justice-centered climate finance that directly benefits the Indigenous and local protectors of biodiversity throughout the world,” Lahiri says.
Online attendee Shurva Rahman, a PhD student in the curriculum and instruction department, reflected on witnessing both tension and hope through her computer screen as she watched youth and Indigenous voices fight for their future.
“The path forward must weave together economic fairness, intergenerational dialogue and the wisdom of Indigenous communities,” says Rahman. “The conference may be over, but the call to action is amplified.”
Molly Stroh is the Communications & Editorial Fellow at the Institute on the Environment.
