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A delegation of students, faculty and staff from the University of California San Diego is heading to Antalya, Türkiye, to participate in international climate negotiations at the 31st United Nations (UN) Conference of the Parties, or COP31.
From Nov. 9-20, 2026, world leaders, policymakers, experts and other accredited observers will gather at the two-week conference to discuss the climate crisis and advance global cooperation on climate change. COP31 is focused on implementation of climate solutions and advancing the global energy transition that drives more economic growth, jobs, food security, better health and safety and affordable clean energy.
This year’s COP is also being called the “Blue COP” for its emphasis on placing the ocean at the center of global climate progress. As representatives of the University of California observer delegation at COP31, UC San Diego students and faculty will contribute their ocean and climate science expertise in the development of climate solutions through speaking engagements, panel discussions and other activities throughout the conference.
For the fifth consecutive yearUC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution are bringing the Ocean Pavilion back to COP to serve as a voice for the ocean community and to highlight the convergence of climate, ocean, biodiversity and sustainability. The 2026 Ocean Pavilion will host more than 65 panel talks, keynote addresses, roundtables and multimedia art presentations in its official programming. The pavilion will also offer more informal opportunities for visitors to meet with scientists and learn more about their research.
“At COP31, we have an important opportunity to bring ocean science into global climate discussions and ensure that research informs the decisions shaping our future,” said Meenakshi Wadhwa, director of Scripps Oceanography and vice chancellor for marine sciences at UC San Diego. “Alongside our UC San Diego students and faculty, I look forward to engaging with delegates from around the world to turn knowledge into solutions that protect ocean ecosystems and advance climate action.”
In all, 24 representatives of the University of California system will travel to Türkiye for COP31. The contingent will include 17 representatives of UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
Travel for the Scripps Oceanography student delegation is generously supported by former Scripps Director Charles Kennel and his wife, Ellen Lehman; several individual donors; and Logitech, a global company that is committed to sustainable practices and designs technology for working, creating and gaming.
Scripps Oceanography will continue a pioneering program in which COP delegates pay the “equity-weighted” social cost of carbon (SCC) associated with delegates’ travel costs. The SCC is a science-based estimate of the true cost of economic damages created by each additional ton of carbon emissions incurred by the travel of UC travelers to international events. Round-trip international flights often incur costs between $400 and $1,000 per traveler using the UC estimate, depending on distance and routes taken.
Individual members of the delegation are encouraged to pay a portion of the cost, with Scripps Institution of Oceanography contributing to the remainder of the costs. The payment will be made in the form of donations to non-governmental organizations whose work focuses on helping societies and the environment deal with the impacts of climate change or reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
In the following profiles, learn more about this year’s UC San Diego’s delegation and what they are looking forward to at COP31.
Source: today.ucsd.edu
