Written by Anam, your Students' Union president
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to meet with students at the Sustainability Forum, hosted by Sustainable UCL, to discuss your climate concerns, explore ideas, and outline urgent climate action initiatives with UCL academic experts who have attended previous climate COPs.
COP30 is the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (Conference of the Parties) taking place from November 10-21, 2025, in Belém, Brazil. Each year, UCL researchers attend COP, helping to shape climate action on the global stage. At this forum, students were given the opportunity to directly feed back to our researchers and raise the issues they would like to see discussed at this year's COP.
Inside the sustainability forum
The forum started with a short introduction to the COPs and how they work, given by Prof. Mark Maslin. His experience in multiple COPs means he was extremely well positioned to give us an insight into the inner workings of COPs. An important takeaway was that COP is not about individuals - rather, it is the teams that work together in attending COP that are able to shape and influence effective change.
A panel of expert academic staff then continued the discussion, covering the decision-making process, the political dynamics, as well as climate finance.
Speakers:
- Prof. Mark Maslin, Professor of Earth System Sciences, and Pro-Vice Provost for the Grand Challenge of the Climate Crisis
- Prof. Lisa Vanhala, Pro Vice-Provost for the Grand Challenge Theme of the Climate Crisis
- Dr Marina B Romanello, Executive Director, the Lancet Countdown
- Dr Yaroslav Melekh, Research Fellow in Economics of Energy Innovation and System Transition
We then split into small groups to discuss different areas of climate concern: climate and health, climate finance, food, and the future of climate action.
The forum was a great way to bring together students and sustainability experts to exchange ideas and inspire informed discussions about global climate policy ahead of COP. Our commitment to sustainable leadership and the opportunities we’re creating for students give me real hope for the future - the next generation of changemakers in climate and environmental sustainability are already here at UCL, ready to make a difference.
How your students' union is championing sustainability
Together, we can lead the way in sustainability. As your Students’ Union, we’re committed to making every part of our work more eco-friendly, reducing our impact on the planet - as well as empowering you to be part of the change. You can find out here all of the ways in which we're leading the way with sustainable practices, but here are some highlights:
- We have elected representatives responsible for sustainability: our Sustainability Officers, Pauline and Oskar
- In our Commercial Operations (Union cafés, bars, shops and gym) we prioritise working with sustainable suppliers and making choices that minimise our environmental impact as much as possible. You can read more about our sustainable practices and partners here.
- As part of our Climate Leaders campaign, in partnership with Sustainable UCL we host an annual Sustainability Leadership Conference for students including the opportunity to receive dedicated training and join our Sustainability Leadership Programme
- Through our e-recycling partnership with Relove Technology, electronics such as old phones, laptops and cables can be recycled on campus
- We have many sustainability-related student-led groups and projects including our Sustainability Leadership Programme
You can find out all the ways in which we're championing sustainability here.
What's next?
COP30 takes place from November 10-21, 2025, in Belém, Brazil.
If you're interested in getting involved in sustainability at UCL, you can join the Students’ Union UCL Sustainability Council (SusCo) for their monthly meeting in November - a place to discuss environmental issues and shape sustainability action across UCL.
You can also check out all of our student groups that are championing sustainability.