Griffith University's Associate Professor Dr Johanna Nalau will be on the ground as a delegate during the COP29 (Conference of the Parties) climate negotiations in Baku, Azerbaijan, which takes place November 11-22.
Associate Professor Nalau, a climate adaptation lecturer and expert, has attended several COP negotiations in previous years. She was selected among 78 experts globally for United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) UAE-Belém work progamme on indicators under the UAE Framework for Global Climate Resilience.
"This work programme is technical work to advise countries on which indicators could be best suited to measure global progress under the Global Goal on Adaptation (the GGA)," she said.
"The GGA has seven thematic and four dimensional targets that together aim to decrease vulnerability, enhance resilience and increase adaptive capacity.
"By having a representative at critical international forums such as COP, Griffith University supports evidence-based policies that can enhance adaptive capacities globally."
The UNFCCC is an international treaty to address the problem of climate change. It was created in 1992, and 198 Parties have ratified the Convention.
In 2015, signatories built on that effort with the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit how much global temperatures rise. The goal is to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees above pre-industrial levels, ideally limited to 1.5 degrees or less.
COP stands for Conference of the Parties and is the main decision body of the UNFCCC that meets annually to negotiate fair and equitable climate change solutions. These efforts also help to track Australia's progress against agreed goals.
Building on success
In addition to her delegate role at COP29, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has selected Associate Professor Nalau as one of 230 scientific experts who will attend the Scoping Meeting in Kuala Lumpur in December 2024 in its 7th Assessment cycle (AR7).
Associate Professor Nalau is no stranger to IPCC processes: she was Lead Author in the 6th Assessment Working Group II on Chapter 15 (Small Islands), Lead on Adaptation Science Cross-Chapter Box, and Lead Author in the Summary for Policymakers where she co-led the Adaptation section writing that summarises the key scientific findings on climate adaptation across Working Group II.
Associate Professor Nalau and the 230 scientists were selected from a competitive pool of 2,300 nominations globally. Each of the 230 representatives will bring their respective expert knowledge and will work together to provide the best and most scientifically sound draft outline for each Working Group.
"Participation in the IPCC Scoping Meeting ensures that Griffith University is not just present but an active partner in setting the agenda for IPCC's 7th Assessment Report."
Associate Professor Johanna Nalau
"This role supports the development of comprehensive and robust adaptation science, contributing insights that will inform international policy.
"It is the work at these high-profile platforms that ensures scientific findings are effectively translated into policy actions that address climate vulnerabilities worldwide."
Voice rising up
Griffith Bachelor of Laws (Honours) /Environmental Science student Lilia Ben Dekhil has been invited to attend the COP29 negotiations as part of the Global Voices Fellowship.
As part of her Fellowship, Lilia will write a policy proposal focused on climate policy in Australia, which will advocate for the introduction of a repairability label and index for electronic devices and appliances.
"This topic draws on my academic background, particularly research I have undertaken at Griffith, as well as my experiences as part of the New Colombo Plan Scholarship," she said.
In 2022, Lilia travelled to Singapore as a New Colombo Plan Scholar to learn about its Right to Repair system and then Vanuatu, to assist the island nation in developing its e-waste recovery schemes.
"I am determined to use the law to shape how technology can support the environment," she said.
"The Right to Repair promotes circular economy principles by reducing the environmental impacts of e-waste and decreasing needless production, yet, extraordinarily many consumers do not have this right yet."
The Right to Repair is a legal concept and an environmental movement that would see consumers allowed to repair devices without restrictions placed on who can fix them by manufacturers.
"This is an exciting opportunity not only for me personally but also for the Griffith community, and I am confident that my experiences at COP will be beneficial for future discussions around the Right to Repair," she said.
