SFU at COP 28

Eligibility

SFU degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members are invited to apply. Several badges awarded to SFU will be reserved to ensure continuity and adequate support for delegates at the conference. All other badges will be distributed through this open call.

Equity, diversity and access

SFU's delegation to COP 28 values and celebrates diversity in people, ideas, knowledge and cultures. We recognize that these differences and lived experiences bring vital perspectives that will enrich the COP 28 delegation overall. We value and prioritize Indigenous and other non-dominant knowledge systems to respond to the climate crisis in ways that do not further harm. We encourage members of underrepresented groups to apply.

We are committed to ensuring that the application and review process is accessible to all applicants. If you require any assistance or accommodations, please contact Marina Van Driel at sustainability@sfu.ca

Delegation Goals

SFU's delegation to COP 28 will focus on the following goals and themes. 

Goals

• Build on global partnerships that accelerate climate action, climate justice, the path to net zero and decarbonization, research strengths, and achieving climate commitments, locally and internationally,
• Drive conversation, information sharing, learning and action with our partners and delegates from the Global South via events and dialogue, and;
• Ensure that equity and inclusion are central to the conversation and solution pathways

Core themes

• Community-centred climate innovation: Convening global dialogue and information sharing on critical research priority, community-centred climate innovation, that showcases SFU's work in this space to a global audience. Areas of focus include adaptation, mitigation and sustainability.
• Climate justice: Convening global conversations, dialogue, and partnerships that advance equity, justice and rights-based climate action
• Climate solutions: Convening researchers and international partners in the climate solutions and innovation space (e.g., hydrogen fuel cell, nature-based solutions), developing international partnerships to advance climate solutions research and collaboration

Note: These goals and themes are intended to provide a framework for the delegation and are not exhaustive.

Process and timeline

The COP 28 planning group, coordinated by the central SFU Sustainability team, will use a decision-making framework to review each application based on:

• Context: Does the applicant understand climate change and its impacts? Does the applicant show an understanding of climate justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion? What life perspectives does the applicant bring that could inform the COP delegation?
• Engagement: Does the applicant have an engagement plan to share their learnings with the SFU community, as well as their own communities? Will these learnings reach groups that are typically underrepresented in international climate negotiations? Does the applicant have any existing relationships or partnerships that could be fostered or built on at COP?
• Inspiration: Does the applicant show a commitment to advance the goals of the SFU delegation COP using their individual inspirations, skills and motivations?

The call will open on Tuesday, May 23 and close on Thursday, June 15 (11:59PM). In past years, The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has announced the number of badges for each observer organization in July/August (note: no exact dates and deadlines are currently available).

The central SFU Sustainability team will support all selected delegates prepare for the conference, which could include coordinating pre-departure community engagement events, arranging speaking and moderation opportunities at COP, training and learning support for students, and support with travel arrangements.