About Climate Talks

The United Nations Conference of Parties (COP) are yearly conferences where countries from all around the world gather to evaluate the progress made in addressing climate change.
History

Emory at Climate Talks

COP25
2019

COP25 - Madrid

The largest Emory student delegation attended COP25 in December 2019. Students from Emory College, Goizueta Business School, Laney Graduate School and Rollins School of Public Health attended and participated in the talks.

COP24
2018

COP24 - Krakow

Ten Emory students attended COP24 in Krakow in November 2018

COP23
2017

COP23 - Bonn

Twelve Emory students attended COP23 in Bonn, Germany in November of 2017

COP22
2016

COP22 - Marrakesh

Nine Emory students participated in the conference and presented climate change research conducted at Emory.

Paris COP
2015

COP 21 - Paris

The first delegation of nine students and two faculty members, Professor Saikawa and Professor Longhofer attended the Paris conference for the full two weeks in December of 2015.

Photo courtesy of UN COP flickr
2013

Application for NGO status

The university compiled a list of faculty doing research on climate topics, along with other information that told the story of Emory’s commitment, which was submitted in a letter from President Wagner to the UN in December of 2013. Emory was approved as a Non-Party Stakeholder in 2014 with approval to send 12 Emory representatives each year to the annual Conference of Parties (COP).

UN flag
2013

The Idea

An idea was germinating in 2013, why wasn’t Emory University one of the 20 or so universities (at the time, today there are more than 50 U.S. universities) participating as observers to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC)? As a university with deep commitments to sustainable practices and climate change related research, it seemed fundamental that Emory faculty and students be able to experience these international meetings first-hand. Professor Stefanie Sarnat in the Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health in the Rollins School of Public Health and her PhD student, Cassandra O’Lenick, submitted the necessary application materials.

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Organization of Emory Climate Talks

Eri Saikawa, PhD

Eri Saikawa, PhD

Director of Emory Climate Talks & Faculty Advisor
Eri Saikawa, PhD, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental Sciences at Emory University and the Director of Emory Climate Talks. Professor Saikawa's research is diverse covering areas of atmospheric chemistry, environmental health, biogeochemistry, climate science, environmental policy/politics. In addition to her work with Emory Climate Talks, she also serves as a Co-Director of the Resilience and Sustainability Collaboratory.
Sheila Tefft

Sheila Tefft

Digital Content Editor and Senior Lecturer Emerita in the Emory English Department
Sheila L. Tefft is an international educator, administrator and journalist. She began teaching multimedia journalism, writing in the sciences and other specializations after a lengthy career as a journalist, including 12 years as a foreign correspondent in Asia. She served as Emory Journalism director from 2000 to 2009 and has co-led Emory student delegations to the annual United Nations climate talks. 
Leah Thomas

Leah Thomas, M.Ed.

Undergraduate Academic Programs Coordinator
Leah Thomas supports programming at Emory Climate Talks. She has worked at Emory since 2014 in the Department of Environmental Sciences.

Leah Thomas supports programming at Emory Climate Talks. She has worked at Emory since 2014 in the Department of Environmental Sciences.

Advisory Board

Advisory Board