This year, two students have been chosen to attend COP 29, the 29th Conference of the Parties. Organized annually by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the Conference of Parties (COP) is the world’s most influential climate policy event. COP unites delegates from almost 200 nations, as well as thousands of advocates from civil society, business sectors, and youth organizations, all working together to drive essential climate action and mitigate the worst effects of climate change. Margot Francini and Maayna Rajesh applied to represent UNC as delegates, an opportunity available because UNC has held “observer” status as a “Research and Independent NGO (RINGO)” within the UNFCCC framework since 2017. Since joining UNC in 2021, DDL Director Angel Hsu has led student delegations to COP as UNC’s designated point of contact.
Learn more about the students representing UNC
Margot Francini is a senior environmental health sciences and public policy double major with a minor in Portuguese. At COP29, she will focus on the intersection between climate research and policy, analyzing what findings hold salience in multilateral agreements, as well as how discussions shape the focus of future research. She will also examine the context within which Indigenous leaders participate in global climate discussions
Maanya Rajeshis a junior double majoring in Environmental Studies and Business Administration with a minor in Data Science. At COP-29, she will focus on the intersection between energy transformation, environmental health, and job creation, analyzing global conversations around inclusive and sustainable infrastructure development. Maanya will also examine how business leaders engage at COP-29 and address business resiliency amidst increasing material risks posed by climate change.
In addition to Margot and Maanya’s attendance at COP-29, UNC is organizing an official side event, “Seizing the Moment to Ratchet Net Zero Ambition,” as part of its role as co-lead of the Net Zero Tracker. DDL Research Assistant Will Carney will present insights on the integrity of cities’ decarbonization efforts, based on findings from the upcoming Cities Climate Action Report Card, set for release on November 11. DDL will also be launching ChatNDC – an AI platform that will provide unparalleled ability to explore national climate policy documents.
We’re eager to see how these students will contribute their new insights to the UNC-Chapel Hill community – stay tuned for more updates from Maanya and Margot as well as a report-back session in 2025.
