Applications for UBC's virtual delegation at COP30 will open on Tuesday, June 10, 2025 and close on Tuesday, July 8, 2025,at 23:59pm Pacific Time. Learn more about the application process.

Join UBC’s virtual delegation at COP30 to observe the international climate negotiation process, do primary research, and build global climate connections and partnerships.

UBC has observer status for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UNFCCC COP), which means that UBC receives an allocation of observer badges for representatives to witness the official negotiation space. 

Following a recommendation from the Climate Emergency Task Force report to empower a culture of climate advocacy, there have been open and transparent selection processes for the observer delegation since COP26. These competitions have been open to all full-time UBC students, staff and faculty. A committee selected delegates from applications based on the number of observer badges available.

In past years, most observer delegates at COP have represented organizations from the Global North. For COP29, the UNFCCC began reallocating the number of badges granted to institutions in richer countries to increase access for participants located in the Global South. This year, UBC expects to receive primarily virtual observer badges for COP30 (November 10 – 21, 2025).
 

What is a virtual observer?

Virtual delegates are able to witness official negotiations without the restriction of in-person seat limits. They have access to the official UNFCCC COP platform, which includes exclusive global networking spaces and hybrid side events.

 

Learn more about the experiences of past UBC COP delegates through these resources

COP29: Reflecting on COP29 | UBC Student COP29 Reflections

COP28: UBC Students, Staff, and Faculty in the news for COP28

COP27: UBC Students, Staff, and Faculty in the news for COP27 | COP27 Live! | COP27 Debrief – Beyond Doomism and Solutionism in Response to Climate Change

COP26: COP26 What’s at Stake webinar | COP26 Live!

 

an OPEN COMPETITION

The Sustainability Hub is pleased to announce details of a competition for COP30 virtual observer badges open to all current UBC students, faculty, post-docs, and staff. 

Applications will open on Tuesday, June 10 and will close on Tuesday, July 8 at 23:59 pm Pacific Time. Applicants will be informed about selections by September.

The annual UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) brings together countries, civil society, companies and people on the frontline of climate change to accelerate action on the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Parties include 197 nations and territories that have signed on to and are responsible for monitoring and reviewing the implementation of the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which is the parent agreement to the 1997 Kyoto Protocol and the 2015 Paris Agreement. 

During the conference, party delegates representing nation states and the EU will convene to discuss what actions are needed to address climate change and to negotiate national and global emissions reductions. UBC observer delegates will witness these negotiations and virtually participate in the many side events taking place at the conference. More information about COP30 can be found on the official webpage.

COP Side Events
If you are participating and/or organizing a side event (whether an official or unofficial side event) for COP30, please let us know as soon as possible.
Email ubc.atCOP@ubc.ca with details before June 30, 2025.
 

APPLY NOW 

 

*Applications will open on June 10, 2025. Check back soon for your chance to receive one of UBC’s virtual badges to witness COP30, observe global negotiations, and be in a key space of global climate action.

Questions? Email ubc.atCOP@ubc.ca for more info. Please also review the application decision-making framework below.

 

 

Eligibility

Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to apply if they are studying and/or working full-time at UBC. Applicants need to maintain their UBC affiliation until the end of winter term to be eligible. Visiting Scholars, Adjunct Professors and Sessional Lecturers are ineligible for a badge.

Up to ten virtual observer badges will be distributed to applicants. 

Should additional in-person badges become available, selected virtual delegates may be offered an opportunity to attend COP30 in Belém. Please note that if this option becomes available, delegates are responsible for their own travel and must demonstrate that they can access sufficient funds.

 

Decision-making framework

Reviewers will use a decision-making rubric to assess each entry, following these core questions:

  • Context. Does the application show a detailed understanding of climate change and the COP proceedings? Does the application show an understanding of the importance of justice, equity, diversity, decolonization and inclusion, and achievements in advancing them? 
     
  • Motivation and commitment. Does the application convey a commitment to actively be witness to the COP proceedings? Does the application demonstrate the applicant’s lived and/or formal experience? Does the application show alignment between attending COP and current work or study goals at UBC?
     
  • Engagement. Is there a plan in the application to share learnings with others in the UBC community? Will these learnings reach a large amount of people and/or group(s) that are typically underrepresented in COP negotiations?