For two weeks, representatives from around the world will gather in Scotland. One of the many important issues that will be raised during the summit is future financing of climate change and support for poor countries. Jasmine Elliott, PhD student in Practical Philosophy at the Department of Philosophy, Linguistics and Theory of Science, is happy that she get the opportunity to be one of thousands observers and she will be there during the first half of the summit.
”My main goal for the summit is to follow the discussions around climate finance and understand what it might mean for the financial industry and businesses in general”, says Jasmine Elliott.
"Many of the NGOs I've been following are coming to the meetings. It's also exciting to see what happens when they are brought together."
Jasmine Elliott researches the role and responsibilities of professionals in facilitating ethical business conduct. She has a particular interest in the roles of corporate lawyers and financial institutions and their impact on issues like business corruption, business and human rights, and climate change.
Future sustainable finances
One full day of the summit is focusing on sustainable finances and then Jasmine will be one of the more attentive observers.
"It will be very interesting to follow their discussions and see what kind of commitments will be made”, says Jasmine Elliott.
Together with Åsa Löfgren, an expert in the area of Climate Economics, Jasmine is working with a research project on how the banks view their role in the work of reducing climate emissions. Åsa Löfgren is also going to the summit and their third colleague is Sverker Jagers, professor of Political Science. He is the director of the interdisciplinary Centre for Collective Action Research, CeCAR, where both Jasmine and Åsa are members.
The issue of responsibility
Why is it important with philosophers taking part in the climate discussions?
"A lot of really interesting work has been done in philosophy about climate change, which I think has influenced the broader discussion about, for example, responsibility for mitigating climate change. It is important for philosophers to be involved in climate discussions both to understand how philosophy is being incorporated into the discussions and to find new questions to address”, says Jasmine Elliott.
She believes that this experience can be useful in the work on the PhD thesis.
”I am very excited to attend COP to potentially get new ideas and direction for research questions. I think that this meeting will help me create new connections between my research and what is needed for ethical business conduct, especially in relation to climate change."
The Climate Change Conference, Conference of the Parties 26, hosted by the UK in partnership with Italy, will be going on until 12 November.
Written by Monica Havström
