Three LMU faculty members attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Melissa Fitzpatrick, assistant professor of management in the LMU College of Business Administration, Tyler Harlan, associate professor of urban and environmental studies in the LMU Bellarmine College of Liberal Arts, and Rebecca Wall, assistant professor of history in BCLA, represented the university and engaged in idea exchange, solution exploration, and collaborative partnership-building on a global scale. COP28 was the biggest iteration of the climate change conference yet, gathering approximately 85,000 participants from Nov. 30 to Dec. 12, 2023.
“I am so unbelievably grateful to have had the opportunity to attend COP28 [the 28th Conference of the Parties] and participate in the world coming together to try to work toward viable solutions to humanity’s biggest collective action problem,” said Fitzpatrick. “Since my research focuses on ethics and sustainability — in particular, thinking through how to shift, change, and apply values in the service of well-being — it was inspirational but also very humbling to witness the complexities of theory actually becoming practice.”
COP 28 to the UNFCCC is part of an annual series of conferences where world leaders, scientists, and activists come together to discuss and explore measures to combat climate change. These conferences are the primary global forum for multilateral decision-making on climate change, with participation from nearly all countries.
In 2020, LMU received non-governmental official observer status from the UNFCCC, opening the opportunity for the university community to be an active participant in international climate change conversations. While COP28 was the first instance that LMU sent a delegation to the conference, the Office of Global-Local Affairs has long been working to integrate the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) into the curriculum, events, partnerships, and more.
“The historic attendance of our faculty delegation at COP28 marks a significant milestone for LMU, showcasing our institution’s pioneering spirit in incorporating global sustainability into higher education,” said Roberta Espinoza, vice provost for Global-Local Affairs. “This inaugural participation not only underscores our commitment to global engagement and environmental stewardship, but also sets a precedent for how academic institutions can play an active role in the international dialogue on climate change, fostering a culture of innovation and responsibility among our students, faculty, staff, and overall campus community.”
Equipped with their perspectives from the conference, two of the faculty delegation members recently participated in the CSJ Center for Reconciliation and Justice’s “Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor: The Issue of Water” symposium. The session, “A View from Dubai: Insights from the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP28),” featured Espinoza, Wall, and Fitzpatrick as they shared their experiences of participating in COP28, including insights on the official proceedings and conversations with climate experts, government officials, and activists.
“The firsthand experiences of Melissa, Tyler, and Rebecca at COP28 have become a rich source of insight and inspiration for our LMU community that we plan to continue by sending delegations to future U.N. climate change conferences,” said Espinoza.
Funding for the COP28 delegation came from Global-Local Affairs and the Provost’s Office. A call for nominations for LMU delegation participants to COP29, which will be held in November in Baku, Azerbaijan, will be announced in April.
