Engaging Students in Climate Diplomacy
Students are selected into the UN Climate Negotiations course and program through a competitive application process. The program is offered through the Walker College of Business and welcomes students from all disciplines. The course familiarizes students with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and the annual Conference of the Parties (COP). Each fall, a delegation of students and faculty from App State travel to the COP and participate in the negotiations.
Travel to COP 28 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, is planned for November 30 - December 6, 2023.
Fall 2023 Draft Syllabus
COP 28 Application
COP 27
The 27th COP took place in the Egyptian resort town of Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt from November 7 - 18, 2022. The App State delegation attended during the first week. 2022 Syllabus | Website
2022 Cohort
Jonathan Buckley
Degree Program: BA Economics
Area of Expertise: Urban Planning
"Understanding the functions and processes going into global climate events such as this would give me great insight into the international cooperation, agreements, and disagreements the nations of the world have with one-another."
Rachel Crabb
Degree Program: BS Sustainable Development
Area of Expertise: Environmental Law & Policy
"I would love to gain a better understanding of the pathways that policies take during events such as the United Nations Climate Change Conference, and how those policies are changed and shaped along the way until they become an agreed upon goal, such as what happened during the 2015 COP in Paris."
Chelsea Gulliver
Degree Program: MBA (Sustainable Business)
Area of Expertise: Mitigation & Adaptation
"The best chance that Small Island Developing States (SIDS) have to influence global change is through collective action at the United Nations."
Luke Halodik
Degree Program: MBA (Economics)
Area of Expertise: Fisheries Management
"I want to learn how climate change is being managed on a global scale and the efforts and negotiations that countries are proposing and how they could affect our future."a
Matthew Mair
Degree Program: BA Economics, BS Political Science
Area of Expertise: Environmental Policy
"I hope to combine my economic background with my knowledge of political science to create meaningful change in the world in terms of climate policy."
Grace Waugh
Degree Program: BS Sustainable Technology
Area of Expertise: Renewable Energy
"By participating in this course, I will be able to engage with peers of different backgrounds and disciplines, enriching my understanding through their experiential contributions and creative ideas and further preparing me for my future as an environmental authority on the international stage."
Faculty
Dr. Lee Ball
Chief Sustainability Officer
Dr. Ball's scholarly and professional interests focus on nature-based solutions, sustainability leadership, sustainability literacy, resilience, biophilic design, regenerative design, decarbonization, climate justice, and change agency related to community engagement. He has a doctorate in Sustainability Education, a master's degree in Environmental Education, and a bachelor’s degree in Natural Science.
Dr. Dave McEvoy
Professor and Chair, Economics
Dr. McEvoy serves at the Organization Head for App State's involvement in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. His research is focused on the design and effectiveness of international environmental agreements. Dr. McEvoy has graduate degrees in environmental economics from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and the University College London.
In the Press
- AppState students attend COP 27 in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt - Appalachian Today - 01/23/23
- Honors College Students Travel to Egypt - Honors College Appstate - 11/30/22
- Three App State leaders attend climate summit in Scotland - Watauga Democrat - 11/11/21
- AppState leaders reflect on COP 26 conference - Watauga Democrat - 11/30/21
Get Involved
Email mcevoydm@appstate.edu.