Dr Alix Dietzel, a climate justice and climate policy specialist, and Katherine Fitzpatrick, a PhD researcher in anthropology, are heading to Germany by train to join the Bonn Climate Change Conference, also known as SB 62.
The gathering, held between 16-26 June, is a major event for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in the run up COP30 hosted by Brazil.
Adaptation will be a primary focus of the discussions, which assess and review progress on the implementation of key multilateral pacts to help tackle climate change, namely the Convention, the Kyoto Protocol, and the Paris Agreement.
Negotiating a just transition to ensure the move towards a net zero economy is fair for all will also be an important, and potentially contentious, aspect. International discussions of the Work Program for Just Transition Pathways (WPJTP) collapsed both at SB60 in Bonn and COP29, held in Azerbaijan last year.
Dr Dietzel, Senior Lecturer in Politics at the University of Bristol and Associate Director of Impact and Innovation at the University’s Cabot Institute for the Environment, said: “There are deeply entrenched divisions to overcome between the Global North and Global South in order to achieve a truly just transition. This will demand systemic change and a much more inclusive approach to make sure the voices of climate vulnerable nations are not only heard but acted upon in terms of creating and implementing equitable policies and processes on the global pathway towards net zero.
“I will be observing negotiations closely and hope that power dynamics will not be used by G20 nations to undermine those in the G77 and China, as well as more climate prone countries, which have been pushing for all-encompassing change, rather than a reductionist approach.”
It will be the first international climate conference Katherine has attended and she is looking forward to witnessing and understanding how such negotiations inform and result in sustainability policy change.
Katherine gained her first degree in anthropology and archaeology at the University of Bristol before going on to study for a Master’s in Environmental BioScience at the University of Warwick. Katherine returned to Bristol academia last year hoping to emphasise the role that anthropology can play in driving systemic change.
She said: “Anthropology – the study of human behaviour and society – is hugely relevant to building a more sustainable, fairer future for everyone. There are many routes to achieve change, with the SB 62 representing just one of many valid approaches.
“I’m really interested to see how people engage in negotiations and the culture of decision –making created during the talks, including who gets to determine the priorities. It’s a great opportunity to listen and learn about the hurdles against as well as the opportunities for constructive change. I hope to discover new ways to make a positive and real difference.”
In the spirit of reducing carbon emissions, Dr Dietzel and Katherine will be making the 500-mile journey by train.
Dr Dietzel said: “I took the train to this event last year and it was a really positive experience. Rail travel gives you valuable thinking time, which is a great way to prepare for such a key conference, where crucial issues with wide reaching implications for both today and future generations are at stake.”
Katherine added: “I try to take the train whenever it’s possible and affordable. I’ll be treating it as an office with dynamic views of changing landscapes; a lovely backdrop to get me into the right headspace for observing and reflecting on the negotiations.”