When I learned about the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in an environmental policy class, it became my dream to attend one of the organization’s conferences. As a double-major in International Studies and Environmental Sciences, I was drawn to the idea of being able to see what I had learned through my studies unfold in real time. Throughout my time at Emory, I developed a special interest in clean energy, and I wrote my honors thesis on the interaction between federal tax policy and solar farm development in the US. So, when I got the opportunity to attend a UN climate conference this summer, I jumped at it, excited to see the proceedings in real time and hear the latest international discussions about climate action and clean energy development.
Thankfully, through talking with fellow attendees, friends, and a bit of online research, I was able to adjust quickly and make the most of my time at SB 64. To share more about my experience and hopefully provide some helpful resources for future attendees, here are some of my recommendations:
- Take advantage of your constituency group(s). Attending the morning coordination meeting with YOUNGO (the official children and youth constituency of the UNFCCC) on my first day was one of the most helpful things I did. Through the meeting I got a quick introduction to the different negotiations going on at the SBs, was able to join multiple helpful WhatsApp groups, and more importantly, I gained a community where I felt welcomed and knew I could ask questions without judgement.
- Do some research beforehand. Many organizations post helpful guides and summaries of recent COP negotiations and key topics of discussion that will arise at the SBs. Just spending half an hour doing a couple of quick online searches and reading a few articles was invaluable to ensuring I understood key acronyms and topics of discussion at the SBs and could navigate to events that aligned with my interests.
Additionally, attending SB 64 felt unique for a couple of reasons.
First, this SB had a large focus on the “Just Transition”, which focuses on the energy transition itself as well as placing an emphasis on making sure the transition is equitable across countries and economic sectors. After doing extensive research on US energy and tax policy for my honors thesis and studying historical international climate efforts, I was excited to see clean energy at the forefront of the conference. Furthermore, this focus on the transition to clean energy comes at an especially important time, with countries facing an ongoing global oil crisis due to the conflict in Iran and closure of the Strait of Hormuz. From the anxious energy and packed seats in the energy-transition-focused sessions I attended, it was clear that attendees are more motivated than ever to adopt renewable energy.
Secondly, the conference felt noticeably quiet. From discussions with fellow attendees and some internet searches, I realized some potential reasons by the abundance of empty chairs:
Resource constraints. Countries’ budgets are straining under the weight of the oil crisis and other in-country priorities that make it hard to carry out their climate commitments, let alone send delegates to Germany each summer. The conference itself also showed the funding and resource issues that the UN faces. One session in particular made this abundantly clear: the negotiation room did not have enough space for the breakout groups the moderators had planned, and they were forced to host a joint session for all the topics, severely limiting the floor time each topic had. This issue is not just logistical – it means that discussions are rushed or prevented, posing challenges to effective and thorough negotiations and implementation efforts.
Lack of engagement. At the beginning of 2025, the second Trump administration decided to withdraw the US from the Paris Agreement, and subsequently abstained from attending COP 30. Though the US was not the only country absent from the conference, as the world's second-largest energy consumer and emitter of greenhouse gas emissions, the US was one of the most noticeable groups that were absent at last year’s COP and this year’s SB. I believe that this abstention is significant because it both directly takes the US out of important global conversations about climate change, and further signals to the world that the US does not value or support these efforts. Furthermore, SB64’s negotiations were characterized by a broad lack of consensus on key issues, continued delay of implementation, and a lack of commitment to climate financing. While attending, I noticed that countries aside from the US had seemingly also reduced their engagement and/or enthusiasm in the negotiations. Unlike the US though, this shift seemed to be due to countries losing faith in the UNFCCC’s capability to work towards substantive climate action – because of these issues with the SB’s efficacy and exacerbated by the US’s absence.
Visa issues. Many attendees have passports that require visas to get into Germany. And, despite the annual SB conference having been hosted in Germany for over 30 years now, there is still no streamlined or special approval process for conference attendees to obtain visas, even if they already have the UNFCCC’s approval to attend the conference. I heard reports that many visas had been denied or approvals were delayed, preventing many would-be attendees from ever even stepping foot in the airport. While this issue is not new, the number of prospective attendees affected increases annually, with reportedly almost 300 people affected in 2026, compared to 223 in 2025. This issue is especially important to note, because it prevents those would-be attendees’ perspectives from being heard during these important negotiations.
While I’m not fully informed about the extent of these issues – visas being denied or delayed, resource constraints, and the lack of engagement – or their impacts on the attendees relative to other influencing factors, they are interesting to consider while thinking about this year’s SB and what is at play behind the scenes. They also provide interesting insight into the structure and challenges that these multilateral efforts face.
Overall, attending SB 64 was an incredible experience. From daily negotiations and discussions of reports to community-building and innovative decision-making, watching sessions in real time was fascinating and gave me a much fuller picture of what climate action looks like in practice.
Additionally, seeing passionate observers and talented delegates hard at work while engaging during events was genuinely motivating. In the face of the challenges wrought by cross-national negotiations, resource and access constraints, and climate change itself, their dedication and perseverance were inspiring. I am so grateful to have had this experience, and I’m excited to see how the negotiations and implementation processes continue to progress through COP 31 and beyond.