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UCL's COP29 team
Meet our UCL Climate Experts attending COP29 and the team supporting them.
Media enquiries
For enquiries and to connect with academics, kindly reach out to the UCL Media Relations Team.
UCL Climate Experts
Dr Jonathan Barnes
Role at UCL
Research Fellow in Climate Change Adaptation
Risk and Disaster Reduction
Expertise
Climate finance expert
"This year the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on Climate Finance is due to be agreed. This will be an important moment as it will set a new target amount for money to be transferred from developed to developing countries to spend on climate change activities. This will have far reaching implications for the rest of the negotiations."
More info
More about Jon
LinkedIn: Jon Barnes
Dr Roberto Cardinale
Role at UCL
Lecturer
Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction
Expertise
Energy policy expert
"At COP29, I would like to see advanced and emerging economies starting collaborations on projects and technological solutions that reconcile economic prosperity with the energy transition."
More info
More about Roberto / Email Roberto
Dr Simon Chin-Yee
Role at UCL
Lecturer
Political Sciences
Expertise
Climate, Maritime & African Politics
"My research is focused on climate change, conflict and vulnerable populations. I am currently working with African countries on reducing their GHG emissions in the shipping sector, including the co-development of decarbonisation actions, political buy-in for implementation, and capacity development."
More info
More about Simon / Email Simon
X: @SimonChinYee
Bluesky: @simonchinyee.bsky.social
Goksu Danaci
Role at UCL
President
Students’ Union UCL
"I would like to amplify the student voice in climate action and explore what COP29 has to offer to strengthen the Union’s impact on sustainability efforts."
More info
More about Goksu / Email Goksu
Prof Michael Grubb
Role at UCL
Professor of Energy and Climate Change
Deputy Director, UCL - Institute for Sustainable Resources
Expertise
Energy and Climate Change
"The economics of the climate debate have been largely cast in terms of costs of mitigation, required to cut emissions. In Chapter 1 of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report on Mitigation, we underlined that credible and effective mitigation policy needs to draw on four analytic frameworks: ‘mainstream’ aggregate economics; ethics and equity; innovation and transition dynamics; and psychological and political studies. In my role as Strategy Director for the international programme on Economics of Energy Innovation and Systems Transition, we have worked with research colleagues across the UK and Brazil, India and China to bring new and more positive economic thinking to the fore of climate policy debates."
More info
More about Michael / Email Michael
Website: www.profmichaelgrubb.com
X: @michaelgrubb9
Prof Mark Maslin
Role at UCL
Professor, Geography
Pro-Vice-Provost for the Grand Challenge of Climate Crisis
Expertise
Climate Change
"My research shows that using win-win solutions to shift the global economy to net zero emissions will make everyone safer, healthier and wealthier. I want to see a clear commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions rapidly in the next ten years. I want to see a transparent and equitable agreement on Loss and Damage."
More info
More about Mark / Email Mark
X: @ProfMarkMaslin
Insta: @profmarkmaslin
Book: How to save our planet
Prof Jacquie McGlade
Role at UCL
Professor of Sustainable Development and Resilience
Expertise
Carbon and Biodiversity Expert
"Unleashing the massive power of healthy soils and ecosystems to store carbon by shifting to regenerative farming practices and nature-based solutions underpinned by accurate data and evidence from the field."
More info
More about Jacquie / Email Jacquie
X: @JacquieMcGlade
LinkedIn: Jacqueline MCGlade
Prof Priti Parikh
Role at UCL
Professor of Infrastructure Engineering and International Development, Bartlett School of Sustainable Construction
Expertise
Infrastructure (water, sanitation, energy) in resource challenged settings
"I would like to see resources directed to climate resilient infrastructure to support just and equitable transitions globally."
More info
More about Priti / Email Priti
X: @pritiparikh73 / @EfidUcl
Dr Marina Romanello
Role at UCL
Executive Director of the Lancet Countdown
Expertise
Climate change and health expert
"I work to put people, their health and wellbeing, at the heart of the climate change conversation. By producing rigorous data and evidence, I work to inform climate change action that protects and maximises the benefits to human health."
More info
More about Marina / Email Marina
X: @marinaromanell2
Prof Jolene Skordis
Role at UCL
Professor, Institute for Global Health
Expertise
Wider determinants of health and health inequalities
"I would like to see more clarity about how we will measure inequality in responsibilities for mitigation and adaptation."
More info
More about Jolene / Email Jolene
Prof Nicola Walshe
Role at UCL
Executive Director of the UCL Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Education
Pro-Director Education at the UCL Institute of Education
Expertise
Climate change and environmental sustainability education
"At COP27 countries agreed to a new global Action Plan on Action for Climate Empowerment, or ACE, which was a real achievement. However, progress has somewhat stalled and many countries are finding it challenging to implement. This year we need to ensure there is a supportive but meaningful approach to holding countries to account for ACE as it is crucial for impactful climate action, both now and in the future. "
More info
More about Nicola / Email Nicola
X: @geowalshe / @UCL_CCCSE
UCL colleagues attending via other delegations
Marta Koch
Role at UCL
Research Assistant at the UCL Population, Policy and Practice Research and Teaching Department
Expertise
Sustainable Development/UN Sustainable Development Goals-focused researcher & Imperial College London PhD candidate
Delegation
Future Leaders Network UK Youth Delegation
"As a youth representative, I am eager to see COP29 serve as a turning point from policy to action, ensuring the voices of youth are heard in decision-making and that policies are grounded in climate science and equity. We have the knowledge and tools needed to create a sustainable future in line with the UN SDGs —what’s needed now is ambitious, unified action."
More info
Email Marta
Camile Oliveira
Role at UCL
Policy Analyst, Institute for Global Health
Delegation
Invitation from Umea University
"I would like to see countries commit to more ambitious language on fossil fuel phase out. I would also like to see an ambitious NCQG, where countries that are the most affected are able to access the much needed funding to deal with the effects of climate change."
More info
Email Camile
Dr Pedro Schilling de Carvalho
Role at UCL
Lecturer in Financial and Environmental Law
Faculty of Laws
Expertise
Climate Finance and International Development
"My research looks at emerging trends in climate finance and their supporting legal and regulatory enabling environments. I am particularly interested in exploring how how to enhance the linkages of funding and impact. At COP29, I am looking forward to seeing how the discussions on the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance will develop and its impacts across different sets of countries."
More info
More about Pedro / Email Pedro
LinkedIn: Pedro Schilling
X: @pschillingc
Ai Zhen Carol Yuen
Role at UCL
Master's of Law (LLM) in Environmental Law and Policy student
Expertise
Environmental law researcher
Delegation
Singapore government youth delegation
"I hope to see the development of a consensus among state parties on the New Collective Quantified Goal on Finance and the funding mechanisms. I am also looking forward to hearing youths' voices at COP29."
More info
Email Carol
Lorraine Wong
Role at UCL
Student, Environment and Sustainable Development (ESD)
Expertise
Non-state youth in climate negotiation (focus on Adaptation and Global Stocktake)
Delegation
Host country guest badge (through COPSimulation)
"At COP29, I hope to see enhanced civil society engagement, with meaningful participation from marginalized groups, especially youth, ensuring their voices shape negotiation outcomes. I also hope that parties reach an agreement on climate finance, including commitments in doubling adaptation fund, which is crucial for supporting effective climate action. Additionally, I wish to see knowledge exchange between parties and increased ambition and implementation of their NDCs, aligning with the Global Stocktake and the commitments of the Paris Agreement. Lastly, I am eager to see collaborations among institutions like UCL and other research bodies, leveraging the best available science to advance the climate agenda."
More info
Email Lorraine
Supporting Team
Michael Lucibella
"I coordinate media and press outreach for the Built Environment and Social & Historical Sciences faculties, which are home to much of UCL’s climate efforts. For COP29, I’m working with UCL’s diverse team of climate experts, both in Baku and here in the UK, to maximise media coverage."
Elli Lee
"I manage Sustainable UCL’s communications channels and behaviour change campaigns. On the COP29 team, I support project management and COP communications from Sustainable UCL to help amplify messages from our team at COP."
Katherine Welch
"I lead on UCL PPs climate-related policy engagement supporting researchers to get their evidence into policy making. I am also policy co-chair for the UK Universities Climate Network which supports collaboration across UK universities. I’m excited to support our COP delegates in working with policy during and after the convention."
Jane Yelloly
"My role on the COP29 Campaign team is to fly the flag of UCL’s climate campaign ‘Generation One’. My aim is to integrate UCL’s pockets of climate activity under this one umbrella. As Aristotle said “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts”."
Hannah Biggs
"I oversee UCL’s sustainability programmes related to carbon, biodiversity, education and engagement. I provide strategic input on developing UCL’s Climate Hub."
Email Hannah
Caitlin Mullin
"I manage and co-produce the ‘Generation One’ podcast to help shout about incredible research and climate action from the UCL community. As part of the COP29 Campaigns team, I help to coordinate UCL's climate activity into a strategic external campaign. Additionally, I administrate and provide consulting support for all climate podcasts to amplify our climate comms."
Email Caitlin
Max Gillingham
"I'm the Coordinator for the UCL Grand Challenge of Climate Crisis. In this role, I provide operational support for the programme while maintaining our links with the Climate Hub and UCL's COP involvement. An inter-disciplinary approach is at the heart of what we do, and COP always highlights the importance of this."
Email Max
Dr Becca Burns
"I focus on connecting the breadth of UCL’s interdisciplinary, cross departmental environment expertise. This includes supporting UCL’s world leading research in Biodiversity and Climate. I am excited to strategically support our teams attending CBD COP16 and the UNFCCC COP29 and ensure UCL can make a positive difference to the planet. Find out more about the UCL Environment Domain."
Email Becca