Eligibility

SFU degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral fellows and faculty members are invited to apply. Several badges awarded to SFU will be reserved to ensure continuity and adequate support for delegates at the conference. All other badges will be distributed through this open call.

Equity, diversity and access

The COP 29 SFU delegation values and celebrates diversity in people, ideas, knowledge, and cultures. We recognize that these differences and lived experiences bring about new perspectives and will enrich the COP 29 delegation overall. We value and prioritize Indigenous and other non-dominant knowledge systems to respond to the climate crisis in ways that do not further harm. We encourage members of underrepresented groups to apply.

We are committed to ensuring that the application and review process is accessible to all applicants. If you require any assistance or accommodations, please contact Marina Van Driel at sustainability@sfu.ca.

Delegation Goals 

SFU’s COP delegation will focus on the goals and themes below, these goals are intended to provide a framework for the delegation but are not exhaustive. 

Goals

• Build on global partnerships that accelerate climate action, climate justice, the path to net zero and decarbonization, research strengths, and achieving climate commitments, locally and internationally
• Drive conversation, information sharing, learning and action with our partners and delegates from the Global South via events and dialogue 
• Ensure youth and future generations are central to the conversation and solution pathways

Process and timeline

The COP 29 planning group, coordinated by the central SFU Sustainability team, will use a decision-making framework to review each application based on:

• Context: Does the applicant understand climate change and its impacts? Does the applicant show an understanding of climate justice, diversity, equity, and inclusion? What life perspectives does the applicant bring that could inform the COP delegation?
• Engagement: Does the applicant have an engagement plan to share their learnings with the SFU community, as well as their own communities? Will these learnings reach groups that are typically underrepresented in international climate negotiations? Does the applicant have any existing relationships or partnerships that could be fostered or built on at COP?
• Inspiration: Does the applicant show a commitment to advance the goals of the SFU delegation COP using their individual inspirations, skills and motivations?

The call opens on Tuesday, May 21 and close on Friday, June 7 (11:59PM). In past years, The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has announced the number of badges for each observer organization in July/August (note: no exact dates and deadlines are currently available).

SFU Sustainability will support all selected delegates prepare for the conference, which could include coordinating pre-departure community engagement events, arranging speaking and moderation opportunities at COP, training and learning support for students, and support with travel arrangements.