Climate negotiation simulation 2024 keynotes and countries announced

On Monday 9 December, the 2024 BISA climate negotiation simulation, run in partnership with Chatham House, will take place in London. Following an extremely popular call for participants, we can confirm that 29 universities from across the UK will take part in the simulation. Participants from Chatham House’s Common Futures Conversations, part of The Queen Elizabeth II Academy for Leadership and the Next Generation, will also be taking part.

The climate simulation itself reproduces the negotiations held under the auspices of the United Nations (in the ‘COP’ meetings). Students will represent one of the ‘parties’ (i.e. states) that have signed up to current international agreements on climate change (for instance, the Paris Agreement of 2015 and the Glasgow Climate Pact of 2021). The aim will be to agree upon refinements to these agreements – looking at reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the raising of climate transition finance, and agreement on a statement of principles.

This year’s simulation takes place just after Azerbaijan hosts the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP) of the UNFCCC. This represents an exciting time for students to raise their awareness of the politics of climate change. Student delegates will work in pairs, with each pair constituting a party to the negotiations. The provides an opportunity for hands on, experiential learning, and delegates will get a taste of what it is like to participate in international bargaining and negotiation.

On the day of the simulation there will also be two fantastic keynote speakers - Ruth Townend and David Gunn - who are Senior Research Fellows at Chatham House’s Environment and Society Centre.

Ruth Townend’s work at Chatham House focuses primarily on climate risk and diplomacy, exploring the interplay of climate change, international affairs and national and local politics. With 19 years’ experience in foreign policy, climate diplomacy, human rights and sustainability, Ruth has worked across a broad set of climate-relevant issues, for and on behalf of governments, charities, and highly respected internationally operating organisations.

Ruth leads Chatham House’s climate diplomacy work and hosts the Climate Briefing podcast. She is currently working in collaboration with the Russia and Eurasia Programme to develop insights into the challenges and opportunities of Azerbaijan’s climate leadership role around COP29, and as part of the Troika with COP28 host the UAE, and COP30 host Brazil.

David Gunn is a strategist with extensive experience across commercial, creative and third sectors, with specialist skills in the convening and facilitation of complex groups and the design of large-scale processes of participation and innovation.

Previously, David was founding Director of consultancy Something More Near, where he led a wide range of climate action projects with partners including UNEP, Project Drawdown, Sky, Netflix, COP26 and President Obama’s Higher Ground. Prior to this, David’s career includes a diverse portfolio of work with partners including ClientEarth, Samsung, Allianz, Tate and Museum of London.

The universities/teams taking part, and the countries they will represent, are:

• Aston - Russia    
• Anglia Ruskin - Turkey    
• Bath - Mexico    
• Bath Spa - Kazakhstan
• Birmingham - Brazil and United Arab Emirates
• Bournemouth - Saudi Arabia       
• Brunel – Iraq
• Chatham House Team 1 – China
• Chatham House Team 2 – South Africa
• Chatham House Team 3 -  Kuwait
• De Montfort - Pakistan 
• Dundee - Australia          
• East Anglia - Bangladesh
• East London - Argentina 
• Goldsmiths - South Korea            
• Gloucester - Uzbekistan 
• Greenwich - Algeria 
• Kings College London - Colombia 
• Leeds - Philippines
• Leeds Beckett - Nigeria 
• Leicester - European Union         
• Liverpool Hope - Vietnam
• Loughborough - Canada 
• London School of Economics and Political Science - Malaysia
• Open University - Japan 
• Sheffield - Egypt 
• SOAS, University of London - Indonesia   
• Surrey - Thailand 
• Sussex - United States     
• Warwick - Iran   
• West of England - India  
• Westminster - United Kingdom 

BISA is tremendously grateful to Chatham House for the sponsorship and support of this event, and to Professor Mark Webber for leading the academic side of planning and proceedings each year.

Follow the hashtag #climatesim on X/Twitter and LinkedIn to keep up with the action during the simulation.