site.btaIPCC Secretary: Universities Will Help World Turn Climate Crisis into Opportunity

Universities will play an even greater role in the future, because science will be needed to understand how to assess vulnerabilities, take pragmatic measures, and turn the climate crisis into a climate opportunity, said the Secretary of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Abdalah Mokssit. He was speaking Friday at an event organized by Sofia University at the Bulgarian pavilion at COP29. The event was dedicated to academic cooperation in the Black Sea region.

Participating in the event were Abdalah Mokssit, Dr. Marina Stefanova, Deputy Dean for Sustainable Development of the Faculty of Economics of Sofia University, Prof. Nikolaos Theodosiou from the UN Sustainable Development Solutions Network and Tsvetelina Garelova, UNICEF youth delegate at COP29. The discussion was moderated by Mercedes Maroto-Valer, a specialist in sustainable engineering and professor at Heriot-Watt University.

Mokssit said that no country in the world can adapt alone to extreme phenomena. “That’s why it’s important to have reactive planned adaptation. It’s time for a new concept. We used to manage crises, then we moved to risk management, and now we need knowledge for risk management, and this is where universities play a key role,” he added.

He also expressed gratitude to Sofia for hosting the 61st IPCC session in the summer and particularly highlighted the contribution of participants in the volunteer programme organized by the Faculty of Economics at Sofia University.

During the discussion, Nikolaos Theodosiou stressed that the Black Sea region, including countries around the Caspian Sea, has a complex history and relationships. He stressed the importance of a unified approach to global challenges like climate change, hunger, poverty, and health risks. He also pointed out that universities can help break down barriers because both professors and students are used to working together.

Dr. Marina Stefanova agreed, saying that in the past, the region built barriers, but now is the time for connectivity. She highlighted that every global issue has a local solution and emphasized the importance of local assessments, local science and actions based on it. While climate research has mainly focused on fundamental science, COP29 in Baku also included input from experts in sustainable development, business, and behavioral science, she added.

The participants also discussed the crucial role of young people in tackling climate change. UNICEF youth representative Tsvetelina Garelova noted that young people in Bulgaria are divided on how important climate change is. In her words, many are concerned but often don’t know how to get involved. As a climate activist, Garelova called for mentors who can guide young people, help them break stereotypes, and inspire them to take actions.