COP27: Leeds University Alumni sets off to Egypt to take part as negotiator at summit

An alumni of the University of Leeds will be heavily involved as a negotiator at the COP27 summit in Egypt it has been revealed. Kate Fearnyough is acting on behalf of the UK in climate negotiations at the summit which began on Sunday (November 6).

As a science negotiator at the Cabinet Office, Kate, who has an MSc in Climate Change and Environment, is directly involved in UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations – the international treaty adopted by countries all around the world to address the climate crisis.

Ahead of her trip, Kate explained what she will be doing as part of the team and which departments she will work across. She said: “I’m currently seconded from my role in the international climate science team in the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) to work on science items in the UNFCCC negotiations.

“I negotiate on behalf of the UK to ensure that the decisions made in the UNFCCC process are based on the best available science, which is especially important following the release of the three reports from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the past 18 months. Aside from the negotiations, I work across government departments to communicate the latest climate science to inform policy making.”

Kate also spoke about her time at the University of Leeds, and how it helped her to get where she is today. She added: “My Masters gave me a really strong grounding in physical climate science, impacts, adaptation and vulnerability, and climate mitigation.

“That’s all essential for my current role as I can confidently communicate the latest science from across the climate world to policymakers. I also gained a really important overview of global environmental policy, particularly the UNFCCC processes and the UK’s domestic policy.”

Kate also hopes that the summit results in a “strong push” towards supporting countries most vulnerable to climate change. She said: “I hope that COP27 will result in a balanced outcome across different negotiation items, with a strong push to accelerate mitigation action to aim for 1.5C as well as setting up appropriate support to countries most vulnerable to climate change who are already suffering devastating consequences.