Call for expression of interest: Workshop on non-UNFCCC climate negotiations
Yang, S. (Shiming)
Dear colleagues,
I’d like to share a call for a workshop on non-UNFCCC climate negotiations. This call seeks to gauge interest in the topic and bring together researchers with shared interests to explore possibilities for collaborative research. Please feel free to share!
The call:
This workshop seeks to develop a research agenda on non-UNFCCC climate negotiations at international and transnational levels. From the Kyoto Protocol to the Paris Agreement, the UNFCCC has replaced top-down mitigation negotiation with voluntary pledges. Still, global GHG reduction remains a top priority for many states, and states have been seeking alternative forums to negotiate climate mitigation. Some of such venues utilize existing multilateral environmental agreements and international organizations, while others are created by states to tackle sectoral or GHG-specific emissions. Some of these institutions receive authority “carved out” by the UNFCCC, such as International Civil Aviation Organization and International Maritime Organization; some “take over” emissions once under UNFCCC purview, such as the Montreal Protocol; still others are newly established (can still use UNFCCC/COP institutions), such as the Global Methane Pledge and other climate clubs. With differing scopes, institutions and constituency, these venues’ effectiveness in taking over and carrying out respective climate mitigation varies. This phenomenon raises important questions to be answered: Why do states shift certain issues away from the UNFCCC? How effective are alternative institutions in regulating emissions? What are the implications for efficiency, equity, and resource allocation?
To bring together scholars interested in non-UNFCCC international/transnational negotiations for GHG reduction, broadly defined, I’d like to invite interested researchers to a workshop, tentatively to be hosted at Leiden University (the Netherlands) in Spring 2026. The workshop aims to exchange ideas and develop a collective research agenda. Modest financial support will be available for accommodation and travel (within Europe). If you are interested in participating, please send a paragraph about your interest by 30 September 2025. Questions, suggestions, and comments are very welcome!
Regards
Shiming