Good Fellows
| by Jason Warburg
Each year a cohort of professionals brings expertise to the Institute.
They are joining world leaders, scientists, policymakers, industry representatives and delegates from around the globe who will be gathering in the Amazon city of Belém at the 30th United Nations (UN) Conference of the Parties, or COP30. What is the goal of COP? To negotiate national responses to climate change on a global level. COP30, the 30th conference, aims to accelerate the implementation with a focus on finance pledges and equitable engagement. This is the first time the COP has been held in Brazil.
In all, 5 representatives from Middlebury will travel to Belém, including 4 current graduate students and one recent alumnus. Each has prepared with intention. As representatives of the Middlebury observer delegation at COP30, they will lead panel discussions around climate finance and the role of higher education in climate policy. They will also be volunteering for the Ocean Pavilion and the youth and indigenous delegations. Travel to COP30 for the delegation is generously supported by Middlebury’s Ron and Jessica Liebowitz Fund for Innovation, Kathryn Wasserman Davis Collaborative in Conflict Transformation, and the Center for Blue Economy.
Importantly, the delegation will also be updating the broader with live sessions, , and answering questions from the network. This professional network of students, staff, faculty and alumni across Middlebury College, Schools, and the Institute has been an incredible opportunity to connect a community with shared interests. The network was initiated in 2025 with generous support from Middlebury’s Ron and Jessica Liebowitz Fund for Innovation.
Description: COP30 is underway. It is the 30th year. Is it working? In this session, we will explore questions around what climate leadership looks like on the international stage. We will hear from current Middlebury Institute students who are at COP30 on what they are experiencing. Are you interested in ways you can become more engaged? Join this conversation and learn about the recent launch of the Middlebury Global Climate Policy Network.
Facilitated by: Angela Izi
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This session is part of the Fall Forum:
What Works Now? Middlebury Fall Climate Forum
November 14-16, 2025 (event schedule)
Breakout: Leadership Past, Present, and Future: International Agreements and Policy
The COP Network brings together Middlebury College and MIIS students, alumni, faculty, and staff who share a common interest in international climate policy. The primary goal of this network is to facilitate knowledge exchange and foster deeper understanding of global climate negotiations through direct engagement with the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP).
The network aims to demystify the COP process by creating an experiential learning opportunity for participants, and sharing their knowledge with the broader network community. A key component of this initiative is to support the participation of at least two students and one alum to attend COP30 through the Middlebury observer delegation status. These participants will gain firsthand insight into the complexities and dynamics of international climate negotiations. The network also organizes virtual events before and after COP to share knowledge, insights, and ideas.
To join the group, any Middlebury student„ alumni, faculty, or staff from the College, Institute or any of the Schools can sign up though this . The group is coordinated through periodic emails to share events and a group to share ideas, opportunities, and make professional connections.
| by Jason Warburg
Each year a cohort of professionals brings expertise to the Institute.
“I felt like a thousand candles were lit, inspiring people to help save our oceans,” said one audience member at Wednesday evening’s event with legendary marine biologist, author, and ocean activist Sylvia Earle, hosted by the Middlebury Institute’s Center for the Blue Economy.
Students at the Middlebury Institute have the opportunity to live and work in another part of the world while enrolled, whether on a summer fellowship or as a Peace Corps Masters International.
The Middlebury Institute’s Center for the Blue Economy has launched the new peer-reviewed academic Journal of Ocean and Coastal Economics, focusing on the role ocean and coastal resources play in regional and national economies.
Recent MIIS alumna Julia Townsend has successfully built a career applying behavioral science approaches to solving environmental issues, and will serve as a Global Youth Ambassador at the upcoming World Parks Congress.
The Monterey Institute has received a $1.8 million challenge gift that aims to support and inspire the continued growth of the Institute’s Center for the Blue Economy by generating at least $3 million for the Center over the next three years.
At a Monday morning press conference, Rep. Sam Farr highlighted the findings of a new report from the National Ocean Economics Program at the Monterey Institute’s Center for the Blue Economy, which illustrated that even as the economic importance of coastal economies has grown, federal support for them has diminished.