Bristol researchers bring global expertise to COP30, championing inclusion and sustainability from the Amazon to the UK

Dr Filipe França conducting fieldwork with local communities in the Brazilian Amazon as part of the Voices of Amazonia initiative.
Image credit: Cabot Institute for the Environment

(IN BRIEF) The University of Bristol’s multidisciplinary team will play a significant role at COP30 in Brazil, engaging in research presentations, negotiations, and side events to advance global climate, biodiversity, and equity discussions. Led by experts like Dr Filipe França, Dr Katharina Richter, and Dr Karen Tucker, the delegation brings together voices from across environmental science, politics, law, and social justice to shape fair, evidence-based climate solutions.

(PRESS RELEASE) BRISTOL, 10-Nov-2025 — /EuropaWire/ — The University of Bristol is sending a diverse team of experts to the 30th United Nations Conference of the Parties (COP30), which begins this week in Belém, Brazil. Held in the heart of the Amazon, the two-week summit will advance collective global action on the Paris Agreement and accelerate solutions for climate resilience, biodiversity protection, and sustainable development.

Among the delegates is Dr Filipe França, Senior Research Fellow in Biological Sciences, who will present his pioneering research on tropical insect biodiversity and forest health. “I’m so proud that COP30 is being held in the country I was born, home to the ecosystem I’ve been studying for over 15 years,” said Dr França. His work, spanning Brazil, Ghana, and Malaysia, examines how insects such as bees, butterflies, and dung beetles reflect forest ecosystem health and inform conservation strategies. The project builds on the Voices of Amazonia initiative supported by the University of Bristol Cabot Institute for the Environment, which collaborates closely with local communities, policymakers, and park managers to develop inclusive, evidence-based environmental practices.

Dr Filipe França working with fellow researchers in a lab as part of the Voices of Amazonia initiative.
Image credit: Cabot Institute for the Environment

Other Bristol experts joining COP30 include Dr Laurence Hawker (flooding and climate), Dr Karen Tucker (Indigenous knowledges), and Dr Katharina Richter (environmental politics), who will co-host a side event with partners from Brazil, Colombia, Peru, and the UK. Dr Tucker noted that the event “will consider the ways in which climate finance can better support Indigenous rights and development strategies,” while Dr Richter will analyse ongoing climate finance negotiations, a central theme at COP30.

Climate law specialist Dr Alice Venn will volunteer with Legal Response International, offering legal advice to developing nations, while others—including Dr Alix Dietzel, Dr Ailish Craig, Dr Ruby Lieber, Stefan Zylinski, and several colleagues—will contribute virtually. Representing a broad range of disciplines, the Bristol delegation underscores the university’s commitment to inclusive, interdisciplinary climate research and advocacy.

“COP30 marks a pivotal moment for global climate action,” said Dr Alix Dietzel, Senior Lecturer in Climate Justice and COP lead at the University of Bristol. “At the Cabot Institute for the Environment, we’ve introduced an open selection process for our delegates to ensure diversity across disciplines, backgrounds, and career stages. This collaboration reflects the kind of unity and fairness needed to drive a just transition.”

Media contact:
Email: press-office@bristol.ac.uk
Telephone: +44 (0)117 428 2489

SOURCE: University of Bristol