Photo credit: UN Climate Change

The University of Sussex Business School is proud to announce its partnership with the Just North Project, an EU-funded climate action project exploring the perspectives and values that stakeholders can bring to Arctic economic decision-making. Together, we will co-host a Pavilion at the Blue Zone of COP28, the 28th United Nations Climate Change Conference taking place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from 30 November until 12 December 2023.

COP28 is a crucial event for the global community to act on the climate crisis and to implement the Paris Agreement, which aims to limit the global temperature rise to well below 2°C, preferably to 1.5°C, compared to pre-industrial levels. The conference will also mark the year of the Global Stocktake, a comprehensive assessment of the collective progress towards achieving the long-term goals of the Paris Agreement.

The co-hosted Just North Pavilion will showcase the research and insights of the Just North Project and its partners: the University of Sussex Business School, Michigan Technilogical University and UiT – The Artic University of Norway, on topics such as the economics of innovation and industrial policy, the energy transition, the circular economy, the future of work, and the ethics and justice of Arctic economic development. The Pavilion will also host a range of talks and events, featuring experts, policymakers, practitioners, and students from around the world.

Faculty members from the University of Sussex Business School, Prof Roman Sidortsov and Dr Abdul Abbas will be attending COP28 and participating in the Pavilion activities. They will also be hosting live-streamed discussion sessions with fellow Business School academic Professor Benjamin Sovacool. Professor Steven McGuire, Dean of the Business School will be attending on 11 December and hosting an informal alumni networking event held at the Pavilion with Sussex alumni delegates at COP28.

Speaking on the Just North project, Prof Sidortsov said:

“The Pavilion presents a unique opportunity to present our research, deepen the University’s international ties, and engage with a wide range of people who care about the future of our planet. This is a fantastic opportunity for the JUSTNORTH project, which focuses on the Arctic to connect with researchers, practitioners, and students who are working on the justice and equity of sustainable development with their peers from around the world. There is a saying “What happens in the Arctic, does not stay in the Arctic” and this Pavilion is a true testament to it.

Dr Abbas also commented:

"As the world prepares for COP28, this year’s themes ‘technology and innovation, inclusion, frontline communities, and finance’ underscore the urgency and complexity of the issues at hand, emphasising the need for comprehensive and inclusive solutions to tackle climate change. The current climate crisis necessitates innovative, evidence-based approaches, making the academic community's attendance crucial. It's a pivotal moment to contribute research insights, advocate for evidence-driven policies, and collaborate across disciplines to drive transformative solutions towards a resilient, equitable, and climate-resilient world. The University of Sussex Business School’s Science Policy Research Unit (SPRU) is in a strategic position to contribute to these solutions.”

Business School alumna Reshmi Ladwa is the COP28 Programme Director. She said:

“COP is the largest annual gathering of climate change activists and stakeholders worldwide. From heads of state to civil society groups including indigenous communities as well as experts in public and energy policy, this is one of the most diverse gatherings in the world. This year marks a health check for the planet as COP28 holds the Global Stocktake of the Paris Agreement. International institutions and the private sector have rallied around the need to triple the global renewable energy capacity by 2030.

“We are in the ‘make or break’ decade when it comes to keeping on track to limiting the global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees. So, the work of this generation is crucial in cementing the correct energy and industrial policies to mitigate this damage. The MSc at Sussex has set me up with a solid foundation and understanding of the challenges that lie ahead and their impact which I now use in my work to try and advocate for more action-orientated change both in rooms with the private sector and governments as COP28 Programme Director for the Global Wind Energy Council and Global Renewables Alliance.”

The University of Sussex Business School invites COP28 attendees to visit the Pavilion and join the conversation on how to achieve a just, ethical, and sustainable future for the Arctic and the world.

For more information, please visit the Business School’s COP28 website and the Just North Project’s website. If you are a COP28 Blue Zone delegate, visit us at Just North Pavilion: Blue Zone, Thematic Arena (TA1-130)