Salford academic to attend the COP25 UN climate change conference

Dr David Rossati, of Salford Business School and an expert in international climate change law, will be at the event to advise NGOs and delegates of least-developed countries on crucial issues for implementing the Paris Climate Agreement.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (UN COP) takes place every year in a different city, when representatives from almost every country decide on ways to cooperate in tackling climate change. This year’s COP25 will take place in Madrid, from December 2-13.

Dr Rossati will offer support as liaison officer for Legal Response Initiative, a London-based NGO which provides free legal advice to negotiators and NGOs least-developed countries. The negotiating teams of these countries are often smaller than those of rich countries and this inevitably impacts on their capacity to negotiate technical aspects of the international climate change regime. Dr Rossati will offer advice on issues such as the financial support for developing countries to help them adapt to climate change, forms of compensation that they may be owned, as well as the development of carbon market mechanisms under the Paris Agreement.

Dr Rossati said: “The losses caused by climate change to these nations, which have virtually not contributed to climate change, are already under our eyes and will increase.  I want to offer my small contribution to realise a vision of climate justice at the international level.”

“It’s also a fantastic opportunity which will help me to apply and further refine my research.

“I will be in the venues of negotiations, taking enquiries from negotiators, and will offer initial legal advice on the spot or redirect queries to a ‘situation room’ set by Legal Response Initiative, where other legal volunteers will offer support.”

Because the next year’s COP will take place in Glasgow, Dr Rossati is planning to take with him a group of Salford students to help Legal Response Initiative with legal research.