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Monash has been a COP Observer since 2016, and has sent a delegation to each COP since, including to COP27 (Egypt), COP26 (Glasgow & virtual), COP25 (Madrid), and COP24 (Poland).

COPs attract tens of thousands of national and local representatives and senior ministers from all member nations, as well as industry and corporate leaders from energy, technology and finance sectors, international NGOs, leading research institutions, youth organisations and student networks in higher education, and international media. COP28 will be one of the largest COPs, with over 80,000 delegates expected. The activities at COP resonate across all three Global Challenges set out in Monash’s Impact 2030 Strategic Plan – Climate Change, Thriving Communities and Geopolitical Security. For Monash as Australia’s largest and most global university with campuses in Australia, Italy, China, India, Malaysia and Indonesia, and with partnerships with institutions across the world, COPs represent an opportunity to engage with and contribute to local, regional and global communities and partners to make a material impact for climate action.

Monash University first attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) as an observer organisation at 2016’s COP22 and became a UN Sustainability Goals signatory the same year. In 2018, at COP24, countries had to agree on the Paris Agreement guidelines for a fair and equitable transition to a low carbon economy powered by renewable energy technologies. Monash was the first Australian university to commit to an energy reduction target of net zero emissions by 2030 and was awarded the 2018 Momentum for Change award recognising our sustainability leadership status.

Over the past decade Monash has engaged in COPs by sending a delegation representing the best and brightest consisting of both Monash academics and students who have driven our climate action agenda by training global youth in climate diplomacy, speaking at country pavilions e.g. Indonesia, Thailand, China, Australia etc and leading workshops. COPs provide an unprecedented opportunity for Monash to share our climate expertise and build and strengthen climate networks and partnerships.

We are excited to be hosting a Blue Zone pavilion at COP28 in Dubai from 30 November - 12 December. It will be the first time in history that an Australian university has hosted a pavilion in the Blue Zone. Our aim is to use this opportunity to convene partners from across the region to have the hard discussions needed to turn the dial on climate action.