Unpacking COP28: A Panel Discussion

With COP28 in the United Arab Emirates just around the corner, join our panel of experts for a primer on how United Nations climate summits work, the pressing issues up for negotiation this year, and a question and answer period. The event will be hosted in person at UBC's Vancouver campus, and available by Zoom webinar.

Join us in-person in the Geography Building's Room 100 (1984 West Mall) or register for the Zoom Webinar link.  Although registration to attend in-person is not required, you can submit your contact details below to be notified with updates to this event. Please note that there will be photography at the event. 

Meet the Panelists 

Jeffrey Jianfeng Qi (he/him) 
Policy Advisor, Resilience Program with the International Institute for Sustainable Development  
Jeffrey is a policy advisor with IISD’s Resilience Program and IISD coordinator for UNFCCC negotiations. Based in Vancouver, his work focuses on Ecosystem-based Adaptation, the National Adaptation Plan (NAP) process, and multilateral environmental negotiations related to climate change adaptation and biodiversity. 

Dr. Kathryn Harrison (she/her) 
Professor, Political Science (Faculty of Arts), UBC. 
Kathryn Harrison is a Professor of Political Science who studies the politics of climate policy. She is the co-editor of Global Commons, Domestic Decisions: The Comparative Politics of Climate Change. Professor Harrison attended COP25 (Madrid) and COP26 (Glasgow), and wrote a series of op-eds from each. 

Dr. Philippe Le Billon (he/him) 
Professor, Department of Geography (Faculty of Arts) and the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs, UBC.  
Philippe Le Billon’s research engages with the environment-development-security nexus, including climate change, ocean governance, extractive sectors, and conflicts. He regularly collaborates with international and non-governmental organizations, including environmental defenders.  

Dr. Michael Brauer (he/him) 
Professor, School of Population and Public Health, UBC 
Michael Brauer’s research focuses on the global health impacts of air pollution, health impacts of a changing climate and the relationships between exposures mediated by urban form with population health.  He has conducted monitoring and epidemiological studies throughout the world and served on numerous scientific committees including those advising the Climate and Clean Air Coalition and the World Health Organization. 

Dr. Milind Kandlikar (he/him) 
Professor, School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, UBC 
Milind Kandlikar’s work focuses on the intersection of technology innovation, human development and the global environment. His current projects include cross-national comparisons of regulation of agricultural biotechnology; air quality in Indian cities; risks and benefits of nanotechnology; new technologies for sustainable transportation; and development and climate change.