Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Accountability Systems For Post-Gst Implementation: Strengthening Global And National Governance To Ensure Transparency, Compliance, And Equity In Delivering The Paris Agreement, Binama Nyacyesa

COP30

This policy paper, developed by the Rwandan delegation in the COP30 Simulation, proposes the establishment of a comprehensive accountability architecture in order to translate the outcomes of the Global Stocktake (GST) into transparent, equitable, and enforceable climate action. Building on this year's COP Presidency's emphasis on mutirão, which is inclusive collective action, this paper outlines different governance mechanisms that could strengthen compliance, both at global and national levels, integrate Common But Differentiated Responsibilities (CBDR) into their monitoring frameworks, and embed adaptation tracking in line with the Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda (SAA). Using Rwanda's track record in governance and regional leadership …

From Dialogue To Delivery: Engaging Non-State Actors In Gst Follow-Up, Aya Mohamed

COP30

Climate action is falling short where it matters most, on the ground, because those doing the work are often excluded from the system's tracking progress. The Global Stocktake (GST), meant to assess global climate efforts, remains focused on national governments, leaving out non-state actors (NSAs) who lead much of the real-world delivery. This exclusion stems from structural gaps in Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) and the lack of formal ways for NSAs to engage meaningfully. Existing tools, like voluntary platforms and consultations, are not enough, they lack enforcement and true integration. This paper proposes two practical solutions: AI-powered Nested Climate Accounting, …

Cop-30 Simulation Report Ignite And Insight: A Global Mutirão, Anes Saadi

COP30

The first Global Stocktake (GST) certifies that there is a widening gap between our collective ambition and the real-world deliveries. And while the COP29 did set a new climate finance floor of US$300 billion/yr by 2035, the science however showed that this is far below developing country needs, and the current trajectories still overshoot the Paris 1.5 C limit. With the most recent updates, Article 6 market rules are now in full operation. That is inclusive of a mandatory 5% "share of proceeds" for the Adaptation Fund; it is an underused lever to channel resources to the frontline communities (UNFCCC, …

Strengthening Climate Empowerment In Pharmacy Education And Practice: A Literature Review, Hend Ahmed

COP30

Pharmacists are increasingly acknowledged as essential contributors to climate resilience as climate change poses ever-increasing challenges to global health. Within the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) provides a framework that is focused on capacity building, public engagement, and education. The application of ACE principles to pharmacy practice and education to advance sustainability is examined in this article. It looks at national projects that support ACE objectives like Kerala's pharmacy-led waste management campaign and the Greener-NHS programme. The review finds gaps and opportunities for incorporating climate action into pharmacy through …

The Climate League: A Competitive Governance Model To Enhance Ndc 3.0 Ambition And Delivery, Mohamed Noby

COP30

The first Global Stocktake (GST) has confirmed that the world is off-track; where current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are far from sufficient to meet the Paris Agreement’s 1.5°C target. Despite decades of climate negotiations, an ambition gap, implementation deficit, and climate finance shortfall continue to hinder meaningful progress; driven largely by a focus on securing commitments rather than ensuring their implementation and real-world impact. This policy paper identifies the governance gap at the heart of these failures and proposes a new framework: The Climate League. which aims to transform climate action into a dynamic competitive process by ranking countries based …

Schools As Hubs For Cultivating Climate Literacy And Action In Egypt, Kenzy Al Ruwaini

COP30

Partial reforms within the national education system across Egypt during 2022 as Egypt worked towards better fulfilling its promises to becoming more sustainable. These reforms aimed to better build students' capacity and their involvement in climate initiatives. However, noting the important role of schools in student development, this paper puts forward a call for more comprehensive reforms that aim to target more than just students' theoretical understanding. Remarking the vitality of a changed understanding and interaction between the students and the environment. As well as ensuring that the students learn to become active members of their community with a profound …

Youth And Gender Equity In Decision Making, Nada Chaabene

COP30

With the COP30 choosing “mutirão”, which means collective community work, as their central theme (COP30, 2024), the president of the conference in Brazil emphasizes that it’s an opportunity to connect global actions and create a mobilization chain of the expertise of people from various communities and from different sectors to move from negotiation to concrete action (COP30, 2024). This cannot be done without a proper representation of all the underrepresented communities of young people and women, as discussed in the Sharm El-Sheikh Adaptation Agenda (SAA).

This paper explores the ongoing challenges of inclusive representation in decision-making spaces like the COP. …

Bachelor's Degrees And Earnings In The Mountain West, 2022, Anthony Arroyo, Sydney Mitchell, Lara Karaalp, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Higher Education

This fact sheet presents 2022 data on the median annual earnings of bachelor's degree holders for specific fields of degrees (FODs) across the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. This fact sheet also examines the share and earnings of individuals with less than a bachelor’s degree compared to bachelor’s degree holders in the three Mountain West metropolitan statistical areas (MSAs) appearing among the 30 largest MSAs in the United States: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ; Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO; and Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV. The “Field of Bachelor's Degree in the United States: 2022” report from the U.S. Census Bureau …

Phasing Out Fossil Fuels And Accelerating Renewable Energy Resources, Pakiza Khalid

COP30

This paper examines the challenges and opportunities in reducing greenhouse gas emissions through the phase out of fossil fuels and acceleration of renewable energy. The 3 areas of interest discussed are: fossil fuel subsidies, electric grid infrastructure and decarbonisation challenges in industrial and transport sectors. The two policy recommendations include development of a national just transition framework and integration of energy storage systems in grids. This paper is directly aimed at governments and policy makers.

Athletes As Ace Ambassadors: A Framework For Integrating Sports Personalities Into Climate Communication Strategies, Abderrahim Baalla

COP30

Global institutions face a critical "volume-over-impact" communication crisis, where thousands of official reports and meetings fail to translate into public engagement. This systemic issue is directly applicable to the climate sector, where conventional communication struggles to cut through the noise. This failure particularly undermines Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE), as it hinders efforts to raise awareness and provide vital climate education to the public, especially youth. To address this gap, this paper proposes the 'Athletes for Climate Empowerment (ACE) Ambassadors' Framework. Based on successful models like the UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador program, this framework provides a practical pathway to formalize and …

Circular Climate Empowerment Policy: Transforming Uco Into Biodiesel, Green Jobs, And Inclusive Climate Education Through Community-Led Action, Aisyah Nabihah

COP30

The world is entering a critical phase in the climate crisis, with temperatures soaring past 50°C in some regions and the global average already an increase of 1.1°C compared to the pre-industrial levels. Rising emissions continue to disrupt ecosystems, threaten coastal populations, and endanger water security. While fossil fuels remain the largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, waste mismanagement and educational inequality are two often-overlooked forces undermining climate resilience. For example, 1 liter of Used Cooking Oil (UCO) can pollute 1,000 m³ of clean water. This policy paper introduces an alternative path: leveraging community-led circular economy models to drive grassroots …

Capacity Building: Climate Literacy And Sustainability Integration In Teachers’ Education And Training., Jomana Abdelhamid

COP30

Despite the existing efforts done towards prepping a climate literate youth whom are aware of the changes affecting our environment and ecosystem, there is still an existent gap in the translation of these efforts to reach a younger audience and their interpretation into feasible knowledge and action-oriented programs. Hence, this paper delves deep into an analysis of the methods of integration of Eco-Entrepreneurship and environmental education in teachers’ education to prep them for the inclusion of climate education in national curriculums. Furthermore, this paper discusses some of the barriers teachers face when fusing green skills and knowledge in their curricula. …

Non-State Actors: Opportunity Or Challenge To Ace And Capacity Building Under Cop30 Mutirão Action Plan, Youssef Moftah

COP30

This policy paper focuses on the role of non-state parties in climate action under COP30. The paper highlights clearly the gap of state actors’ action and their inability alone to meet their requirements in order to make clearly effective steps in their climate change agendas. Following on from previous work frames of the UNFCCC and its subsidiary bodies alongside national and local initiatives the paper shows the past efforts linking them with this year’s presidency and its action plan of "mutirão". The focus of this paper is on building ACE capabilities especially axes of training, public participation, and international cooperation …

Open-Source Hardware For Renewable Energy Workforce Development, Mohamed Abbas

COP30

The renewable energy markets are undergoing significant developments; there is a considerable gap between the industry requirements and the available skillful workforce. According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA, 2024), the renewable energy industry globally employed 16.2 million people in 2023, with estimates showing a significant increase to around 40 million by 2050, depending on the achievement of a 1.5°C scenario. Though the continuous expansion of the workforce continues, there is still a shortage that will be difficult to fill. This shortage is a serious problem, especially in developing countries, where climate change is prompting the establishment of new …

From Awareness To Action: The Educational Pillar Of Capacity Building And Ace, Eman Akrout

COP30

Education has always been identified as the most potent medium for sustaining long-term climate action by helping students, teachers, and communities understand climate risks and participate in solution building. This literature review will therefore focus on how education helps build capacity and contributes to Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE). As recent reports indicated by IPCC and UNESCO have also highlighted, climate education heightens the level of awareness supportive of green jobs while improving the resilience of a community. However, there is a lack of climate material in most schools with untrained teachers posing a huge gap in the international efforts …

Turning Ndc 3.0 Into Action: An Implementation Framework For Hard-To-Abate Sectors Decarbonization - The Brazil Case Study, Mohamed Khaled

COP30

Brazil stands to lead an industrial transition using green hydrogen for steel production, using its renewable energy advantage to bridge the gap between pilot project success and commercial implementation. Brazil's hydrogen project—including 12 planned hubs and Vale's strategic partnerships—shows how the country can implement its NDC 3.0 commitment s into actionable steps while establishing a replicable model for developing countries. Green hydrogen emerges as a transformative solution for steel decarbonization, offering an alternative way to replace the coal pathway. Hydrogen-based direct reduction fundamentally changes steelmaking by utilizing renewable-powered electrolysis to produce hydrogen that reduces iron ore without carbon byproduct s. …

From Phosphate To Photon: Reimagining Morocco’S Industrial Backbone For A Net-Zero Future, Wissal Kajji

COP30

Morocco holds over 70% of the world’s phosphate reserves, making the sector a linchpin of its economy and a lifeline for global agriculture. Yet, phosphate processing is also one of Morocco’s most carbon-intensive activities, producing around 20 million tonnes of CO₂ every year, almost a third of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions. This policy paper reimagines the phosphate industry not as a climate liability but as a launchpad for Morocco’s green industrial future. By harnessing renewable energy, pioneering advanced processing technologies, and embedding circular economy principles, Morocco can transform its phosphate sector into a carbon-neutral export powerhouse. The result …

From Phosphate To Photon: Reimagining Morocco’S Industrial Backbone For A Net-Zero Future, Wissal Nael Kajji

COP30

Morocco holds over 70% of the world’s phosphate reserves, making the sector a linchpin of its economy and a lifeline for global agriculture. Yet, phosphate processing is also one of Morocco’s most carbon-intensive activities, producing around 20 million tonnes of CO₂ every year, almost a third of the nation’s total greenhouse gas emissions. This policy paper reimagines the phosphate industry not as a climate liability but as a launchpad for Morocco’s green industrial future. By harnessing renewable energy, pioneering advanced processing technologies, and embedding circular economy principles, Morocco can transform its phosphate sector into a carbon-neutral export powerhouse. The result …

Governing Emissions: The Global Potential Of Carbon Pricing, Maya Irem Ozbayoglu

COP30

In 2024, the world exceeded the Paris-approved 1.5 °C threshold for an entire year for the first time. This makes the issue of drastically reducing emissions worldwide ever more urgent. Despite having completed 29 UN climate summits thus far, besides ambitious pledges and agreements, such as the famous Paris Agreement signed at COP21, emissions have continued to rise. This may be because parties agree solely on a target without a complementary roadmap and/or set of policy-oriented tools which would drive the necessary changes. Hence, this paper examines the role of one concrete and relatively easy economic mechanism, namely carbon markets, …

Sparking Change: Building Local Technical Capacity For Climate Resilience And Energy Access, Elena Sales

COP30

Globally, 666.5 million people still lack access to electricity, the vast majority residing in rural areas in the Global South. The same communities are also among the most vulnerable to climate change, facing rising temperatures, extreme weather and environmental degradation - yet they lack the energy resources needed to adapt and build resilience. Community-led distributed renewable energy (DRE) systems, from household solar to community mini-grids, can help accelerate the global adoption of renewable energy while empowering the most marginalized communities to have the capacity to lead the transition. For these systems to be sustainable, communities must be paired with direct …

Climate-Ready Health Systems: A Regional Strategy For Building Climate-Health Capacity In North Africa, Donia Khaled

COP30

North African nations are highly exposed to the climate-health crisis, facing combined risks that greatly impact vulnerable groups. These include repeated climate-related disease outbreaks, plus more heat waves and droughts. Existing health education and infrastructure aren't ready to handle these issues. A dual-track strategy to build regional climate-health capacity is proposed in this policy paper: A) integrate climate-health education into medical and public health curricula at all universities across North Africa; and B) launch a multilingual Continuous Professional Development (CPD) platform will develop health workers and students, adaptation through knowledge sharing, building local leadership, and ensuring fair access to resources. …

From Ndcs To Gdcs : Reforming Carbon Markets For A Just Net-Zero Transition, Tolojanahary Andriantsoavina

COP30

The climate crisis is here, and it demands that we act together — and act now. The reality is deeply unfair: the Global South, which contributes the least to global greenhouse gas emissions, is paying the highest price for climate change. Communities face floods, droughts, and other devastating impacts, yet they have the least access to the resources needed to adapt. Current Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are falling short, held back by gaps in fairness, accountability, and real action on the ground. Shockingly, less than 10% of international climate finance reaches the local communities who need it most. This paper …

Driving Climate Mitigation And Health Equity In Rapid Test Diagnostics (Rdts): A Sustainable Biodegradable Patch Solution, Sarah Abozeid

COP30

Total energy-related CO2 emissions increased by 0.8% in 2024, hitting an all-time high of 37.8 Gt CO2, driven primarily by energy, transport, and industrial sectors. The healthcare sector, often overlooked in mitigation discussions, contributes 4.4% of total global GHG emissions, a footprint exceeding that of many countries. Disposal of petroleum-based plastics—especially through incineration—emits approximately 2.7 tonnes of CO2 equivalent (CO2e) per tonne of plastic burnt. Production itself accounts for around 2.5 tonnes CO2 per tonne of

plastic, making the combined lifecycle emissions significant when including end- of-life incineration or decomposition. Around 16,000 tonnes of plastics are

produced globally for rapid …

Strengthening A Just Energy Transition In Egypt By 2035: Policy Options And A Practical Road Map, Basmala Zahran

COP30

Egypt’s dilemma is twofold: reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses in line with international commitments while safeguarding the livelihoods of workers and communities dependent on fossil-fuel industries. Egypt’s continued subsidies on fossil fuels, natural gas powered electricity generation, and regional skill and energy access gaps could lead to an inequitable and politically unstable transition. This paper analyzes the evidence, reviews lessons from Spain and Indonesia, and proposes a hybrid, actionable policy package: (1) a National Green Jobs Training & Reskilling Program, (2) a phased, socially-protected removal and reallocation of fossil-fuel subsidies, and (3) a rooftop-solar mandate for public buildings. Implementation strategies, …

Boosting Carbon Sequestration In Agri-Food Systems Through Nature-Based Solution(Nbs) For People, Planet And Prosperity., Carlos Colorado

COP30

In 2015, 195 United Nations’ Parties adopted the Paris Agreement at COP21, marking a historical milestone in the Climate Negotiations to limit global warming to well below 2°C above the pre-industrial levels by 2030. Since then, countries have committed to present their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) to tackle the rise of global temperatures. Achieving the 1.5°C climate target demands transformative climate action, especially in the Agri-Food System, as it is both, one of the major contributors and victims of Climate Change, accounting for up to 13-21% of total Greenhouse Gases (GHG) emission annually. In this context, Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) appear …

The Potential Of Individual Emissions Reduction In Mitigating Global Warming: Introducing An Intergenerational Transition Perspective, Yuxi Yang

COP30

The study aims to investigate effective pathways for reducing individual carbon emissions. Adopting a comprehensive analytical perspective, the research reveals that temporal variations in personal carbon footprints are not solely correlated with rising per capita income levels, but are significantly associated with transformations brought about by generational shifts. Using China as a case study, the investigation examines the lifestyle patterns and value systems characteristic of the emerging generation that currently forms the societal backbone. Based on these identified characteristics, the study proposes practical and actionable mitigation solutions: In daily activities such as shopping and transportation, consumers should be informed of …

Transferring Green Hydrogen Solution For Decarbonization: A Comparative Review Of Germany And Brazil’S Mitigation Pathways To Net Zero, Fagr Mohamed

COP30

According to the Paris agreement, there is a global narrative to limit global warming to 1.5 c, which requires urgent decarbonization of energy incentive sectors, particularly industry and heavy transport which amount to 50% of global CO2 emissions. Among emerging technologies green hydrogen which is hydrogen produced via electrolysis process by renewable energy such as solar and wind and hydro offers a high potential zero emission energy vector for sectors where direct electrification remains challenging.

This paper assesses Germany’s green hydrogen strategy as a successful model of mitigation policy, and examines its potential transferability to Brazil, a developing country with …

From Policy To Power: How Denmark’S And Morocco’S Energy Successes Can Shape South Africa’S 2030 Transition Policy Paper (Mitigation), Yelyzaveta Umarova

COP30

Tripling global renewable energy capacity and doubling energy efficiency by 2030 are now global priorities. These targets were formalised in the COP28 Global Renewables and Energy Efficiency Pledge (European Commission, 2023, para. 2) and will be central to COP30 implementation discussions in Brazil in November 2025. Despite committing to ambitious emission reduction targets in its updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) by 2030, the country’s current pace of energy transition is insufficient to meet the 1.5 °C goal (Climate Action Tracker, 2025). Various barriers, including Eskom’s debt and inconsistent policy implementation, have slowed progress (OECD, 2025). The International Energy Agency (IEA) …

Structuring South-South Co-Operation: Legal Pathways To Compulsory Licensing And Beyond Voluntary Climate Contributions, Livia Luckson

COP30

The UNFCC framework1

recognises that Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) plays a vital role for a better climate action, highlighting the importance of educating all stakeholders to directly involve themselves in the implementation and delivery of policy. The increasing shift towards locally owned solutions with South-South Co-operation (SSC) is a reminder for the much-needed emergence of key policies for equitable technology transfer and capacity building. Aligning with COP30’s theme of adaptation as the central focus, models of the SSC can best promote local ownership of climate solutions and equitable technology transfer through the key roles of peer learning, co-development and …

Digital Capacity Building For Climate Empowerment: Evaluating Post-Cop29 Implementation And Gaps In Ace Delivery, Lilian Eldin

COP30

With an emphasis on young involvement and capacity-building, this policy paper assesses the execution of digital Action for Climate Empowerment (ACE) programs after COP29. While COP29 brought promising initiatives to improve digital learning and inclusivity, such as the Youth Delegate Program and the Capacity-Building Hub, there are still significant gaps in long-term follow up, transparency, and regional participation. Although regional digital participation was launched by the Presidency Youth Climate Champion (PYCC) project, its impact is tough to evaluate due to a lack of public reporting and categorized data. Similarly, the Capacity-Building Hub did not include regional digital access or language …