267. The Rio Trio: A Cocktail of COPs

Oct 17, 2024

Joining the discussion is Richard Kinley, a former senior official at the UN Climate Change Secretariat, who brings his wealth of experience in international negotiations. The conversation dives into the upcoming Rio Trio: three pivotal COPs on biodiversity, climate, and desertification. Kinley shares insights on their interconnected challenges and the historical evolution since the 1992 Earth Summit. The urgency of establishing a Plastics Treaty is also highlighted, emphasizing global cooperation in tackling pollution and fostering a comprehensive environmental governance framework.

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Intro

00:00 • 2min

The Rio Trio: Conventions of Change

02:24 • 11min

Understanding COP: Navigating Climate Negotiations

13:47 • 13min

Rethinking Global Environmental Governance

26:28 • 14min

Navigating Political Change in the Face of Climate Crisis

40:24 • 3min

Urgency of the Plastics Treaty Amid Growing Pollution

43:45 • 2min

This week, our hosts dive into The Rio Trio! No, this is not the name of a new cocktail but three COPs (Biodiversity in Colombia, Climate in Azerbaijan and Desertification in Saudi Arabia) which are about to happen back-to-back. Plus the plastics treaty negotiations in South Korea.

Join our hosts for their take on the history of these three different but interrelated COPs, all conceived in the Earth Summit in Rio in 1992. How have they evolved, and how might they continue to evolve to be fit for purpose in a changed world? Since this subject is complex, Christiana uses her get-out clause and phones a special friend for much-needed clarity.

Christiana also asks the question: If we had a blank slate now, would it make more sense to kick start a process based on all nine planetary boundaries? Would this help us focus holistically on the interconnected challenges we face? Sit back and listen as the hosts try to make sense of this negotiating super season for the planet and all its peoples.

Please keep tuned for special and in-depth coverage from the Outrage + Optimism team to guide you through each of these key moments.

NOTES AND RESOURCES

How COPs are organised - Questions and answers

From Cancun to Durban: Implications for Climate and Multilateral Diplomacy by HE Patricia Espinosa

COP16 host Colombia pushes for unified UN climate and nature pledges

COP Presidencies Launch ‘Rio Trio’

Biodiversity COP

Climate COP

Desertification COP

GUEST

Richard Kinley, President, Foundation for Global Governance and Sustainability and former senior official at the UN Climate Change Secretariat (UNFCCC) from 1993 to 2017. He served as Deputy Executive Secretary from 2006 to 2017 and was intimately involved in the development of UNFCCC as an organization from its establishment and in its management and operations.

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