COP Student Observers Funding Program
The COP Student Observers Funding Program, supported by the Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability, the Harvard University Center for the Environment, and the Harvard Project on Climate Agreements, provides travel funding and related programming to Harvard University students who attend the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), including the Paris Agreement. The COP offers students a unique experiential learning opportunity as they engage with an international cohort of stakeholders working on climate change. The Program provides a single application process for funding from the three organizations above.
*Harvard students who attend the COP, but who are not awarded funding through this program, are strongly encouraged to participate in the program’s other pre- and post-event activities.
On This Page
- COP29 Interest Form
- Program Details
- Program Timeline
- Application Instructions
- Info Session Recording and FAQs
Stay Up to Date
Complete our COP29 Interest Form to receive updates about the UNFCCC’s timeline and the COP Student Observer Funding Program timeline.
Program Details
Program Features
- Reimbursement-based funding for travel expenses. Typically, up to $2,000 per student.
- A required 60-minute pre-travel orientation for awarded students.
- A post-COP student briefing for awarded and any other participating students.
- 1000 word reflection on the COP to be published on the Salata Institute’s website.
Program Qualifications
- Applicants must be registered Harvard University students in good academic standing at the time of the COP.
- Applicants must have secured the necessary credentials to attend the COP including an official badge for the COP “Blue Zone” from an Accredited Observer Organization. See FAQs on Securing Credentials below.
- Applicants must have a passport (U.S. or other passport) and a visa, if required, that are valid for the dates of international travel. They must have also secured all necessary documents for re-entry to the United States.
- Applicants must be able to arrange their own travel and lodging accommodation and cover any associated up-front costs. Program funding is awarded on a reimbursement basis.
- Applicants must be able to confirm their commitment and ability to attend the conference if awarded funding.
Funding Criteria
- Funding will be allocated to students with a demonstrated interest in and engagement with climate change and/or related environmental, social, or economic issues – and who can effectively make an argument that attending the COP will support their academic and professional goals.
- Applicants should have strong academic or professional qualifications.
- Preference will be given to students who have not previously attended the COP and who are graduating at the end of the academic year.
Program Requirements
- Completion of all pre-travel requirements.
- Participation in pre-departure orientation.
- Participation in a post-trip observer debrief event.
- Completion of a written 700-word (minimum) reflection on your experience and takeaways from the COP.
Program Timeline
All students interested in attending COP should apply by the Application Deadline, regardless of whether they have secured Blue Zone credentials.
Students who have secured their credentials by the initial Application Deadline will be considered for Round 1 funding.
Students who have not secured their credentials by the application deadline will have until the Badge Confirmation Deadline to secure credentials. All students who secure their credentials by the Badge Confirmation Deadline will be considered for Round 2 funding.
Application Instructions
Applications will Open in September 2024.
The Application is comprised of the following sections:
- Applicant Information: Identifying questions about the applicant.
- Participating in COP28: Information about the applicants’ travel, credentials, and past COP participation.
- Intention Statement: A 500-word summary of your goals, interests, and intentions for attending the COP (Upload as PDF). Please follow the Intention Statement Guidelines.
- CV or Resume: (Upload as PDF)
- Program Requirements Agreement
Award Decisions: Award decisions for this program are made in two rounds. An administrative panel will review all funding applications and make award decisions by:
- Round 1: Friday, September 27th, 2024
- Round 2: Monday, October 14, 2024
Please contact oona_gaffney@harvard.edu with any questions.
Please note that, to receive funding, all students traveling internationally must be registered prior to traveling with International SOS, the University’s 24/7 global emergency response provider. For more information on Harvard University’s travel services and international travel policies, please review Harvard’s International Travel & Reimbursement Guidance and visit the Harvard Travel Services website.
Students who attend the COP, but who are not awarded funding through this program, are strongly encouraged to participate in the program’s other pre- and post-event activities.
Spring 2024 Information Session
Watch the recording of our Spring 2024 Info Sessions to find out more about the upcoming COP Student Observers Funding Program cycle.
The Conference of the Parties (COP) is the formal annual meeting of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The UNFCCC is a treaty that came into force in 1994 – the only international treaty solely focused on climate change. (The Paris Agreement is a separate treaty under the auspices of the UNFCCC; most issues negotiated at recent COPs pertain to the Paris Agreement.) In 2024, the Twenty-Ninth Conference of the Parties (COP29), will be hosted in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11 – 22, 2024.
The COP is attended by negotiators from the national governments that have ratified the UNFCCC and the Paris Agreement – that is, the “Parties.” Recent COPs have also featured a two-day summit of heads of government and other senior governmental officials, who assess international progress in dealing with climate change.
In addition to the official negotiations, numerous non-governmental organizations, business associations, and research organizations participate in the COP as observers. Individuals from observer organizations conduct panel events on a wide range of climate-related topics, host pavilions, pursue outreach activities, and hold informal meetings.
Many non-governmental organizations are permitted to send delegates to the COP as observers. These non-governmental organizations have registered and obtained “Observer Status”. Students should identify and contact an accredited observer organization to inquire about obtaining a “Blue Zone” badge. A list of observer organizations can be found here.
It is best to contact observer organizations who’s mission aligns with your interests in attending the COP, or with whom you have a personal connection.
Observer organizations must submit the names of all individuals requesting a Blue Zone badge to the UNFCCC before the badge nomination deadline. The badge nomination deadline is typically in July or early August. Therefore, it is important to contact observer organizations before the deadline.
Only students who obtain Blue Zone credentials are qualified to receive funding through this program.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each week. The higher-level negotiations, as well as the final decisions, are made in Week 2. There are also more observers attending, allowing, perhaps, for more interaction. However, there are many stakeholder interventions and meetings during Week 1, and Week 1 may be somewhat less crowded. It is sometimes the case that observers have less access to the negotiations in Week 2 than in Week 1.
It is recommended that students look into the various events, negotiations, and programs offered throughout both weeks and use this information to determine which days you should attend based on you interests.
Students who are awaiting confirmation of their COP credentials should still complete the application before the COP Student Observer Funding Program deadline.
The program application form will ask whether an applicant’s credentials have been confirmed or whether they are still pending. Applicants whose credentials are not confirmed before the application deadline will have up until the program’s Badge Confirmation Deadline to update their badge-status and can still be considered for funding in the Round 2 award decisions.
Funding cannot be awarded until Blue Zone credentials have been obtained.