Phantom of the COPera

By Lilia Ben Dekhil, 2024 UNFCCC COP29 Delegate

I am thrilled to be one of the Global Voices Fellows traveling to Baku, Azerbaijan, to attend COP29 later this year. Amidst all the excitement, I must confess that I do not entirely know what to expect from COP—but that is precisely what fuels my curiosity and excitement. COP meetings can seem indecipherable. While the ‘what’ of COP is generally known—i.e., that COP is the supreme decision-making body of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and serves as an annual meeting point for Parties to the Convention (and other non-state actors) to review climate progress and set new targets—there remains an air of foreignness about what lies beneath the veil of the world’s largest climate summit.

As one does, I first turned to Google for a COP crash course. However, my Boolean searches only took me so far in understanding the when, where, who, and why. During the Global Voices Canberra Pre-Departure Briefings, I was fortunate to meet with government representatives, members of the public and private sectors, and academics—some of whom were seasoned COP attendees. In addition to practical advice (note to self: pack comfortable shoes), one person offered a pithy description of COP as ‘an annual opera.’ After sitting with this thought, I have come to find this analogy to be a compelling way to frame my anticipation of attending.

At first blush, one might ask, “what are the similarities, if any, between a dramatic form of theatre and an international climate summit?” However, when you consider elements such as orchestration, backstage dynamics, climax and resolution, their anatomies are quite alike. I find the analogy fitting because of the grandeur and choreography involved—both ‘on stage’ (in the formal negotiations) and ‘behind the scenes’ (in the green zone of COP and at the many side events).

The Orchestration

COP meetings are a grand performance, carefully orchestrated with a range of actors—government delegates, representatives of civil society, intergovernmental and nongovernmental organisations—all performing their assigned parts. While each actor may have rehearsed their pre-written script (such as a negotiator knowing their bottom line), the outcomes of COP, as with any live performance, can be unpredictable. The diverse categories of participants and attendees at COP add richness to climate discussions. However, there can also be dissonance and conflicting interests, as we have seen with developed and developing countries still far apart on the mobilisation of loss and damage funds.

The Backstage Dynamics

As with any live performance, there is a world happening behind the curtain. COP meetings mirror this, with closed-session negotiations between various delegations. To the public, we hear and see grand announcements of ‘major steps forward,’ with Parties finalising landmark agreements and setting ambitious targets. But the outcomes on the ‘main stage’ are often the result of backstage dynamics, including private and impromptu side meetings as well as informal discussions and debriefs. In conversations with people during the Pre-Departure Briefings, I learned that there is as much happening in the corridors as in the plenary sessions. This has given me a mental post-it note: observe the quieter moments.

The Climax and Resolution

Every opera has a climax, and so too does COP. In the first week of the conference, the rhythm is slower—foundational discussions are held, positions are stated. But as the second week approaches, the tempo picks up, building to a crescendo of possibility. This year, the ‘Finance COP,’ as it has been dubbed, has the New Collective Quantified Goal on climate finance at centre stage. I anticipate that many eyes will be on the final act: as an international community, will we harmonise our commitments to deliver an appropriate and equitable climate finance agreement? The crescendo of COP may arrive, but I believe the finale is not solely about reaching a final agreement. The subtext matters just as much—whether the agreement has the mechanisms to catalyse and sustain meaningful support and action.

When the curtain closes on COP29, it will not truly be the end, as no opera finishes with its final note. The reverberations will continue, shaping the next act, the next COP meeting, and the next set of efforts to address climate change. I remain hopeful. Like the Phantom’s unmasking, perhaps we are getting closer to a moment when the face of stagnation will be revealed and overcome. We must confront the realities of what must be done.

As I prepare for COP29, I remind myself of the beauty in uncertainty. Like an opera sung in a language I may not fully understand, or grasp every detail of, I will immerse myself in the experience, trusting that there is a teachable moment even in the most unfamiliar melody. My attendance at COP29 will be about more than witnessing decision-making—it will be about learning and observing, so that I can be in a position to contribute to the future of climate action, both through my policy proposal and beyond. The music of COP may be complex, but I am ready to listen, learn, and carry forward what I gain into my own work.

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The views and opinions expressed by Global Voices Fellows do not necessarily reflect those of the organisation or its staff.