Emma Loizeaux

COP27: Power and (in)justice in global climate governance

Anonymous — Wed, 07 Dec 2022 20:56:45 +0000

COP27: Power and (in)justice in global climate governance Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 12/07/2022 - 13:56

Geography PhD student Emma Loizeaux and professor Emily Yeh (photo R.) both attended the UNFCCC COP27 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt in November 2022 as part of a collaborative event ethnography project on “Power and (in)justice in global climate governance.” Emma was there during Week 1 and Emily during Week 2.

Our goal was to focus on the role of China at COP27 in terms of climate discourses and the question of scale in climate (in)justice. In particular, we hoped to pay particular attention to advocacy of Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage (CCUS) and “nature-based solutions” (NbS); and positions on climate adaptation finance, and loss and damage. We generally began our days at the constituency meetings of RINGO (Research and Independent NGOs) to meet other researchers and orient ourselves toward the negotiations happening that day. We then divided our time between side events, particularly those at the China Pavilion, and observing negotiating sessions that were open to observers. We focused on negotiations on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement (on “cooperative approaches” to achieving Nationally Determined Contributions, including creating a global emissions market); the Global Goal on Adaptation; a financial mechanism for loss and damage; and in the last two days, heated negotiations over the text of the cover decision.

As was widely reported, numerous infrastructural problems plagued the conference. In its first few days, there was inadequate water to drink, food was outrageously priced within the isolated, fenced venue, participants spotted at least one sewage flood, and most observers could not watch sessions because there were far too few seats and security did not allow observers to sit on the floor. While most of these issues were resolved by the second week, sound systems remained a problem in the temporary structures that housed some of the negotiating rooms. Where headsets were not available, blowing fans, frequent airplanes flying overhead, and generally bad acoustics made it quite difficult to follow sessions in these rooms. Delegates also spent a lot of time complaining to session co-facilitators about not receiving draft negotiating texts with adequate time to review, and arguing about whether future working sessions on various agenda items should be in-person or hybrid, and on the merits of Word vs PDF documents for group work.

Because of our focus on negotiations and on China-related side events, we did not make it out to the Green Zone, the space for civil society and others without official badges. Though advertised as being “just across the street” from the official (“Blue Zone”) venue, it was in fact difficult to get there, and others reported that little was happening there beyond exhibits by local Egyptian artists and activities. Adjacent to the Green Zone was a designated “demonstration area,” a marker of the host country’s authoritarian approach to the tradition of significant street protests just beyond the COP gates. Because of the demonstration zone’s distance from the venue itself, most activist groups boycotted this space, instead focusing attention on winning UN approval for protests within the Blue Zone, where participants would be limited to those with conference badges but where visibility to negotiators, the media, and conference-goers would be higher. We witnessed Blue Zone protests that included singing and chants of “1.5 to stay alive!” “The people united will never be defeated!”, “System change, not climate change,” “Climate justice now!” and the ever-popular “Fossil of the Day” ceremony (awarded to countries who “are doing the most to achieve the least.”)

Despite the presence of activists and pavilions dedicated to Climate Justice and Indigenous Peoples, the larger pavilion space, which included both country and organization pavilions, was very corporate in message and feel. Greenwashing was prevalent. An unprecedented 636 fossil fuel lobbyists attended the COP – a greater number than all but one country delegation. The Business pavilion listed Chevron and Exxon-Mobil as being among its “partners.” OPEC had a pavilion and the Gulf States all had gigantic pavilions. Because of the expense of the pavilions, on the other hand, many sub-Saharan African states had pavilions with multiple sponsors – including oil companies.

The fact that there was finally an agreement, however vague, to establish a fund for Loss and Damage, was the only notably positive outcome – and one that was the culmination of years of activism. Although President Biden, in his plenary hall speech, apologized for the U.S. withdrawal from Paris and proclaimed that “the United States is meeting the climate crisis with urgency and with determination,”¹within the negotiating rooms U.S. delegates could be seen dragging their feet on numerous technical points. On loss and damage, they argued that existing funds should be used for this purpose, that more studies are needed on the issue, that a lengthy roll-out timeline will be necessary, and ultimately required that the text specify that the fund has nothing to do with “liability” or “compensation.” Such tactics were met with frustration and sometimes derision from other Parties. Representatives from Saudi Arabia, China, and other members of the Like-Minded Developing Country negotiating group argued against the 1.5 degree goal, and against any mention of fossil fuels. Although 1.5 fortunately remained, fossil fuels were omitted from the final cover decision. The intent is clear: to allow “mitigation” efforts to focus on CCUS and other technological solutions that allow continued extraction and burning of fossil fuels, despite high costs and uncertain mitigation benefits, instead of reductions in consumption and pursuit of the “just transition” that climate justice advocates at the COP so clearly called for. Actors from many countries, including the US, are pushing these technologies, arguing that “the math” says that it is the only option – despite much evidence to the contrary and despite activists’ arguments against false solutions.

¹https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2022/11/11/remarks-by-president-biden-at-the-27th-conference-of-the-parties-to-the-framework-convention-on-climate-change-cop27-sharm-el-sheikh-egypt/

Images of COP27 from Emily and Emma

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Emily Yeh & Emma Loizeaux to attend world’s largest climate conference

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Nov 2022 22:38:24 +0000

Emily Yeh & Emma Loizeaux to attend world’s largest climate conference Anonymous (not verified) Thu, 11/03/2022 - 16:38

Starting Nov. 6, representatives from 197 countries and hundreds of activists, scientists and industry representatives will gather in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, for the 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference.

This year’s event, known as COP27 (27th annual Conference of Parties), marks the 30th anniversary of the adoption of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in 1992 by these 197 countries at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Four CU ��«��Ƶ faculty—James Anaya, Colleen Scanlan Lyons, Max Boykoff and Emily Yeh—will join this year’s gathering to observe the negotiations and contribute valuable insights on the impact of climate change on human rights, the importance of forest conservation and trends in climate change communication. Also attending COP27 are Emma Loizeaux, doctoral student in geography, Emily Benton Hite, an affiliate faculty lecturer in continuing education and anthropology, and Rob Ross, project manager at the Consortium for Capacity Building.

James Anaya, CU Law

UN Human Rights and CU ��«��Ƶ will host a news conference about the upcoming Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit on Nov. 8, led by summit co-chair James Anaya, Distinguished Professor and Nicholas Doman Professor of International Law at CU ��«��Ƶ.

The virtual and in-person Right Here, Right Now Global Climate Summit on Dec. 1–4, 2022, will bring together experts on climate change and human rights, including youth activists, business leaders and journalists from around the world, to discuss tangible policy commitments and actions that people from all walks of life can take to address this global threat that disproportionately affects the world’s most vulnerable people.

“The Right Here, Right Now Summit and our participation at COP27 place CU ��«��Ƶ at the center of the efforts to address the human rights impact of climate change,” Anaya said. “There are few issues as important as this one, and the summit will help to further commitments on a global scale to understand its multiple dimensions and forge solutions.”

Colleen Scanlan Lyons, environmental studies

Colleen Scanlan Lyons, associate research professor in environmental studies and project director for the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force, will attend COP27 for its second week (Nov. 13–18). The GCF Task Force, a project of CU ��«��Ƶ’s Institute of Behavioral Science with a global secretariat hosted by CU ��«��Ƶ and UCLA, facilitates subnational leadership to reduce deforestation and advance inclusive, equitable, low-emissions development in states and provinces and across entire regions. It’s the largest organization of its kind, working with 39 states and provinces in 10 countries.

As part of this work, Lyons is looking forward to meeting with newly elected government leaders at this year’s conference, including Indigenous leaders in Brazil and from around the world.

“We have a key moment to reach subnational governments, who can have quite a big impact on climate work,” Lyons said. “I'm super excited to sit down and engage with these governors and say: All right, you were just elected. Here's the (environmental) platform that you ran on. How are you going to put this into practice?”

Her biggest hope is that as a result of COP27, countries agree on concrete financing and policy solutions for forest conservation and livelihood generation.

Max Boykoff, environmental studies and CIRES

Max Boykoff, professor in environmental studies and fellow in the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), is leading CU’s delegation to COP27 this year and attending in person for its second week.

As a researcher of climate change communication and of media coverage of climate change as part of the Media and Climate Change Observatory (MeCCO), Boykoff plans to observe creative communications and engagements associated with climate policy action, and develop research looking at the politics of “climate emergency.” He also plans to participate in a panel discussion hosted by 10 Billion Solutions, a global communications consultancy group that focuses on climate and sustainability communications.

Boykoff said he is hopes COP27 will be the “implementation COP,” as Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Sameh Shoukry declared—where productive negotiations can directly connect with significant implementation and action.

“I also look forward to observing creative ways in which observer organizations, businesses, nongovernmental organizations and other social movements will be creatively communicating about climate change in the many events and activities that surround the negotiations,” Boykoff said.

Boykoff also said he is eager to sample Egyptian food and culture on his first visit to the country.

Emily Yeh and Emma Loizeaux, geography

Emily Yeh, professor of geography and faculty affiliate at the Center for Asian Studies, is attending COP27 for its second week along with Emma Loizeaux, doctoral student in geography, who will be attending the first week.

They are eager to attend their first United Nations Climate Change Conference as both of their research practices are centered around elements of international relations, people and climate change. Yeh has researched various aspects of climate change, including Indigenous knowledge about climate change and vulnerability to climate change on the Tibetan Plateau, and teaches a graduate seminar focused on climate justice from a political ecology perspective.

Loizeaux’s doctoral research is on market and technical solutions to climate change, with a focus on China and the U.S. She is interested in how particular technologies are prioritized in terms of how people in power approach climate challenges.

They are part of a Collaborative Event Ethnography project, spearheaded by affiliate faculty lecturer Emily Hite and several collaborators, which will study the conference itself as a site of global governance. Yeh and Loizeaux want to better understand the role and priorities of Chinese state and non-state actors, and are particularly interested in observing how they might promote various carbon mitigation strategies, interact with other countries in the Global South and advocate for elements of global climate justice.

COP26: How this climate summit was different, and what needs to happen next (Nov 16, 2021)

Context for COP27

COP27 comes at an increasingly crucial moment for reducing emissions and limiting the impacts of climate change on the planet and its most vulnerable people. A report released by the UN climate office on Oct. 26 warns that the world is “nowhere near” hitting important climate targets—such as the 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit (1.5 Celsius) 2015 Paris agreement target—and that instead, estimates predict that temperatures will rise to 4.5 degrees F (2.5 C) above pre-industrial averages by the end of the century.

Since the formation of the UNFCCC, vulnerable nations at the forefront of climate change impacts have also been calling on developed countries to provide financial assistance that can help them address loss and damage—permanent loss or repairable damage caused by the manifestations of climate change. Yet, last year’s conference, COP26 in Glasgow, Scotland, failed to meaningfully address loss and damage or meet expectations for funding. If it is added to the agenda at COP27, parties will discuss how to raise, manage and distribute money to pay for loss and damage.

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Welcome 2020 Graduate Students!

Anonymous — Thu, 03 Sep 2020 01:25:30 +0000

Welcome 2020 Graduate Students! Anonymous (not verified) Wed, 09/02/2020 - 19:25

Fall 2020 Graduate Students Group Photo - Left to Right: David Bachrach, Jessica Voveris, Taylor Johaneman, Andrew Eiswerth, Behzad Vahedi, Ethan Burns, Emma Rieves, Kathryn Tyler, Eric Kennedy, Emma Loizeaux. Natasha Harvey, Fan Li and Viviana Huiliñir-Curio (insets)

Name	Advisor	Degree	Previous Degree From	Interest Area
David Bachrach	Oakes	PhD	Univ of Oregon	urban geography
Ethan Burns	Barnard	MA	University of the South	hydrology
Andrew Eiswerth	O'Loughlin	MA	Georgia College & State University	political geography
Natasha Harvey	Blanken	MA	Univ of Sydney	hydrology
Viviana Huiliñir-Curio	Bryan	PhD	Universidad de la Frontera	cultural geography
Taylor Johaneman	Lininger	MA	University of Denver	hydrology
Eric Kennedy	Molotch	MA	Seattle Univerity	hydrology
Fan Li	Yeh	PhD	University of Oslo	political ecology
Emma Loizeaux	Yeh	MA	Middlebury College	Environment-Society Relations
Somayeh Nikoonazari	Ranjbar	MA	Azarbaijan Shahid Madani University	political geography
Emma Rieves	Reid	MA	Bowdoin College	Environment-Society Relations
Kathryn Tyler	Buttenfield	MA	Mount Holyoke College	GIS
Behzad Vahedi Torghabeh	Karimzadeh	PhD	UC Santa Barbara	GIS
Jessica Voveris	Serreze	MA	Univ of Oklahoma	Climatology

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