From the Classroom to COP28: Glenn College Student Takes on the UN Climate Summit

Although I developed my knowledge of environmental policy through the course and by working in Glenn College Assistant Professor Christopher Rea’s Environment and Society Lab, nothing prepared me for the experience of attending COP28.

"It’s an all-in effort needed from governments at all levels including local and subnational governments, the private sector, academia, non-governmental and advocacy groups, and all of us here today,” she said. 

The interdisciplinary nature of the climate crisis was reflected in the Ohio State students who attended COP28. My classmates’ majors ranged from environmental science and engineering to criminal justice and geography. Some students were interested in organizing and advocacy work, while others spent their time learning about sustainable tech companies and subnational climate policies. As the only Glenn College student on the trip, I was excited to provide my insights on the policymaking process and other foundational public affairs concepts.

While in Dubai, we were surrounded by experts — from scientists and diplomats to heads of businesses and think tanks. Some of the experts also had Ohio State connections. Rattan Lal, Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science at Ohio State who has attended numerous Conference of the Parties, was in Dubai to provide his expert perspectives on soil health. When he learned I was a student at the Glenn College, he was excited to tell me about how Sen. John Glenn had assisted in his naturalization process to become a U.S. citizen.

Walking around the venue, we also found ourselves in the company of several high-level government officials. We passed by John Kerry, former U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate; did O-H-I-O with a fellow Buckeye, Sen. Tom Carper; and bumped into Sen. Ed Markey. We had scheduled meetings with Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther and Special Envoy for Global Youth Issues Abby Finkenauer from the U.S. Department of State. These encounters provided a platform for us to share our perspectives as students and learn about new policy initiatives happening in Columbus and globally.

Outside of these meetings, some of the most rewarding moments were getting to observe the negotiations. I was interested to see how delegates offered their perspectives on each draft resolution and bargained for their preferred policy language.

My time at COP28 illuminated the challenges of global environmental policymaking. Negotiators made some progress, instituting the loss and damage fund for countries disproportionately affected by climate change and finally including language about transitioning away from fossil fuels. However, the final text of the negotiations was unambitious and lacked the innovation necessary to effectively address climate change.

Despite the lack of substantive policy progress, I remain cautiously optimistic about the future of global climate policy. My fellow Ohio State students working on scientific, engineering and advocacy solutions to the climate crisis give me hope for the future.