Student Research Opportunity at COP30 in Belém, Brazil
Are you a Northwestern student interested in climate change or global environmental governance? Would you like to attend the Conference of the Parties (COP) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change?
How do international climate negotiations work? Who participates, and what motivates the parties involved? What are their points of agreement and disagreement? Under what conditions can global climate governance be effective?
This POLI_SCI 390 course, taught by Professor Iza Ding, provides students with foundational knowledge of global climate governance and offers an immersive experience at COP30—the 30th Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), taking place this year in Belém, Brazil (November 10–21). Students will gain firsthand insights into the negotiation processes and dynamics shaping global climate policy. Students will also complete an original research project, either individually or collaboratively.
Students who have attended the COP say the experience is transformative. Read the COP29 delegation’s daily reflections and their takeaways.
2025 application deadline: April 30
There will be a virtual information session on April 15 at 12:00 p.m. Register for the information session >>
Undergraduates who were juniors or seniors in fall 2025 and graduate students interested in conducting research on climate change conferences from different disciplinary backgrounds are eligible to apply. Students must not have graduated before fall quarter 2025 and must be in good academic standing to be eligible to apply.
The number of observer badges available for Northwestern delegates to the COP is uncertain until they are allocated by the UNFCCC in the fall. Therefore, admission to the course is not a guarantee for travel or for an observer badge to the UNFCCC meetings for a specific number of days.
In addition to capacity limits, access to the venue can be impacted by international or local politics as well as health and security factors. Thus, while we make every effort to enable students to attend COP30, we are unable to guarantee access.
In the case that students are unable to travel, they will serve as a virtual delegate.
If accepted to travel:
- Student delegates typically travel for one week of the COP. We aim to share badges amongst the delegation and encourage engagement in the public areas of the COP as well.
- Accepted students are responsible for requesting permission from their professor(s) to be absent from courses that may overlap with these travel dates. This approval will be at the discretion of the professor(s). Undergraduate students are encouraged to speak with their academic advisor. The Buffett Institute can provide documentation of the trip.
The following expenses will be covered for students who are selected to travel to the COP:
- Round-trip group flight
- Shared lodging
- GeoBlue's international medical insurance and assistance program
Students are responsible for all other expenses, such as meals, incidentals, entertainment, travel upgrades and extensions, in-country transportation and visa costs. In recent years, the COPs have created a process for a no-cost visa and no-cost travel to the conference site from popular hotel areas.
Spending habits can vary greatly by individual. We encourage applicants to research these costs in advance, though we generally expect expenses to be less than $600 for a one-week trip. Previous students have secured supplemental funding from their department, school or an external organization to meet this cost.
The 2025 application deadline is April 30 at 11:59 p.m.
Students are required to submit this application to be considered for enrollment in this course. You may view a PDF of the application before applying.
The application review process may include an interview with the instructor. We aim to notify applicants in early May, before the fall quarter 2025 pre-registration period.
The applications will be assessed using the following criteria, with additional consideration of the cohort dynamics.
- The extent to which this experience deepens or advances the student’s research and learning objectives
- Previous experience working in collaborative teams within or outside of a research setting
- Demonstrated interest in climate change, environmental issues or policy
Interested students should attend the virtual information session on April 15, 2025, at 12:00 p.m. It will be recorded.
Questions should be directed to Samantha Nissen, Director for Strategic Initiatives & Undergraduate Programs at the Buffett Institute.