UCL's COP28 Team Announcement

This event marks the 28th gathering of the Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC and holds immense importance in the ongoing global effort to combat climate change.  

What is COP28?  

COP28, the UN Climate Change Conference, scheduled from 30 November to 12 December, is where world leaders will unite to address the urgent challenges posed by the climate crisis. Held in Expo City, Dubai, COP28 UAE aims to unite the world at a critical moment for global transformative climate action. 

Since 1994, COP has been instrumental in driving global action on climate change. From Rio to Stockholm to Paris, the conference has brought together world leaders and key stakeholders to agree steps to address the drivers and impacts of climate change.  

This year’s convention will aim to see development of delivery of the Paris Accord of 2015 as well as movement on pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions and on global climate financing, with a key focus being on just transition. Key themes that will likely run throughout the negotiations, and wider discussion and engagement, will continue to be mitigation, adaptation, loss and damage and finance. 

• What is COP28? 
• What is the UNFCCC?  
• What is the Paris Accord? 

UCL's commitment to COP28 

Each year, UCL demonstrates its commitment to tackling the climate crisis, by assembling a dedicated team of experts from across the university to participate in COP. This team embodies UCL's pledge to make a substantial impact on the global stage. They engage in negotiations, discussions and events, working tirelessly over two intense weeks to drive meaningful change. 

This year, UCL is sending a cross-disciplinary team of researchers and academics to COP28, including, for the first time, a representative of our vibrant student community, the Student Union Affairs Officer, Mary McHarg. Additionally, we are sending our first professional services colleague, Dr Becca Burns, Strategic Coordinator for the Environment Domain, to champion our world leading research. This will enable us to establish a strong connection with COP28, effectively linking our research, teaching, and operational efforts.  

Professor Geraint Rees, UCL Vice Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement), expressed his enthusiasm, stating: 

“I am delighted that UCL is once again sending a diverse team to attend COP28. Our attendance at COP reinforces our global commitment to combat the climate crisis, foster new partnerships and deliver impact through our research.  

Our dedication to addressing climate change extends through our Sustainability Strategy, our education and student experience, and the launch of the Grand Challenge for the Climate Crisis, supporting cross-disciplinary research and impact over the next five years. I am looking forward to seeing the new opportunities COP28 will create for the whole UCL community, and to witness UCL's leading multi-disciplinary research tackling real world problems.’’ 

UCL's new Grand Challenge for the Climate Crisis further amplifies this work, and UCL is currently hiring a new Pro-Vice-Provost to lead this programme. The PVP will lead the Climate Crisis Theme in an institution-wide effort to harness collective expertise for societal change and influence the university's operations and education. 

• Applications for the PVP for the Climate Crisis are open now. 

Meet the UCL COP28 team 

This year, we were thrilled to receive 14 COP28 tickets from the UNFCCC, a number growing year on year. Selected by a panel of key academic and professional services colleagues from across UCL, we are pleased to share this year’s COP28 team: 

Week 1 Team

• Dr Marina Romanello, Executive Director if the Lancet Countdown, Institue for Global Health. 

• Prof Jacqueline McGlade, Professor of Natural Prosperity, Sustainable Development and Knowledge Systems. 

• Dr Alex Pigot, Research Fellow, Genetics, Evolution & Environment, Division of Biosciences. 

• Prof Nicola Walshe, Executive Director of the UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education, and Pro-Director Education at the UCL Institute of Education. 

• Prof Catalina Turcu, Professor of Sustainable Built Environment, Bartlett School of Planning. 

• Dr Becca Burns, Strategic Coordinator, Environment.  

• Mary McHarg, Union Affairs Officer, Student’s Union UCL.  

• Dr Yaroslav Melekh, Research Fellow in Economics of Energy Innovation and Systems Transition, Bartlett School of Energy, Environment and Resources. 

Week 2 Team

• Prof Mark Maslin, Professor of Climate Change, Geography Department. 

• Prof Priti Parikh, Professor at the Bartlett School of Sustainable Constuction. 

• Dr Simon Chin-Yee, Lecturer in International Development, Department of Political Sciences. 

• Prof Lisa Vanhala, Professor, Department of Political Sciences.  

• Jeremy Williams, Senior Research Fellow, International Public Policy Observatory (IPPO), Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy (STEaPP).

• Prof Michael Grubb, Professor of Energy and Climate Change, Bartlett School Environment, Energy & Resources.

Mary McHarg, the Student Union Affairs Officer, will be representing our students at COP28 in week 1. Mary will be an ambassador for our students, ensuring that their voices are raised on a global stage, connecting with other youth groups and telling the story of COP from a student perspective.  

Mary expressed her passion, stating:  

‘’As the first sabbatical officer to be joining the COP team, I'm looking forward to empowering more students to get involved in climate action of all kinds, and platforming diverse student voices from UCL.’’ 

Explore the COP28 Team

What's next? 

As we prepare for COP28, we will be running a comprehensive programme of events and initiatives in collaboration with groups across UCL, including the UCL Climate Hub and the Student’s’ Union. This includes opportunities for students and staff to actively participate and contribute to our efforts in the lead-up to COP28. 

Stay tuned by following us on social media and through our newsletters to get the latest updates on our activities and progress: 

• Follow us on X/Twitter. 

• Sign-up to our Climate Hub newsletter to receive updates directly to your inbox. 

• Are you attending COP? Calculate your footprint with our calculator tool, with options to offset: The COP28 Footprint Calculator.