AI Challenge
NegotiateCOP – Supporting Climate Negotiations
International negotiations, particularly within the framework of the United Nations, are complex and challenging, especially in times of geopolitical tension and a multipolar world order. This is particularly true for the negotiations on the Paris Agreement and the annual climate conferences, which have been held since the first UN climate meetings in the 1980s and the first COP in 1995. The aim of these conferences is to prevent or mitigate the impacts of the climate crisis by limiting global temperature rise, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and implementing measures for climate change adaptation.
BACKGROUND
Climate conferences are particularly difficult due to their complexity and the large number of actors involved, including states, international organizations, NGOs, scientists, and private stakeholders. The negotiations cover a wide range of topics, from emission reductions and climate adaptation strategies to financing climate protection projects in developing countries. Geopolitical tensions and national interests make it even harder to reach binding agreements. Another challenge is the disparity in resources between delegations. Smaller delegations, particularly from developing countries, are often at a disadvantage because they lack the same resources as larger, industrialized nations. This makes it harder for them to process the vast amounts of data and the complexity of the negotiations.
THE TOOL
This is where the Data Innovation Lab partnered with three German ministries, the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and PD - Germany's in-house public sector consultancy. Together, we developed NegotiateCOP, an open-source tool, designed to help delegations efficiently review, analyze, and process information relevant to the UNFCCC COP30. The application incorporates modern AI technologies to identify patterns and connections within negotiation documents, climate negotiations more effective. Smaller delegations, in particular, benefit from NegotiateCOP, as it helps them better navigate the vast amount of information and more effectively represent their interests. Beyond COP30, the project's shared objective was to create a scalable solution that other countries can build upon and adapt for future negotiation processes.
