issues and experts

UN climate change conference COP30 begins in Brazil – SFU experts available

November 06, 2025

The 2025 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP30, is underway in Brazil. As the increasingly devastating impact of climate change continues to be felt across the world, countries are meeting in Belém to try to negotiate a response to the climate crisis. SFU experts are available to speak on various aspects of the climate crisis, while a small SFU delegation will attend the conference in-person. 

AVAILABLE SFU EXPERTS

KIRSTEN ZICKFELD, Distinguished Professor of Climate Science
kzickfel@sfu.ca
Expertise: climate science, carbon budgets, net zero, temperature overshoot, carbon dioxide removal. Zickfeld is also a lead author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Unavailable between November 21-22.

YOLANDA CLATWORTHY, director, Mitigating Wildfire Initiative, Morris J. Wosk Centre for Dialogue, attending COP30
yolanda_clatworthy@sfu.ca
Expertise: wildfire as a climate and biodiversity issue; the critical role that Indigenous fire stewardship plays in climate action; the role of collaboration and higher education in climate action; reimagining Canada's relationship with wildfire; climate communications.

ELODIE JACQUET, PhD student, political science, attending COP30 (speaks English and French)
elodie_jacquet@sfu.ca
Expertise: how Indigenous and small island states negotiate new norms in the COP process.

ANDY HIRA, department chair, professor, political science, director, Clean Energy Research Group
anil_hira@sfu.ca
Expertise: Canadian policy issues related to climate change; energy markets and regulation; green transition for remote and developing communities; geopolitics of energy.

RADOSLAV DIMITROV, professor, Department of Political Science
rdimitro@sfu.ca
Expertise: Diplomacy and international negotiations; climate change negotiations; persuasion and policymaking; global governance and international institutions.

RACHEL DORAN, executive director, Clean Energy Canada, based in Toronto
Contact Sicellia Tsui, senior communications specialist, for interviews: 647.354.3790 | sicellia@cleanenergycanada.org
Expertise: Climate and energy policy, electric vehicle market, critical minerals, clean economic policy. 

JOANNA KYRIAZIS, director of policy and strategy, Clean Energy Canada, based in Victoria, B.C
Contact Sicellia Tsui, senior communications specialist, for interviews: 647.354.3790 | sicellia@cleanenergycanada.org 
Expertise: Climate policy, climate change and energy law, critical minerals, electric vehicle policies. 

Contact

SAM SMITH, SFU Communications & Marketing  
236.880.3297 | samuel_smith@sfu.ca

Simon Fraser University 
Communications & Marketing | SFU Media Experts Directory 
778.782.3210

ABOUT SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY
Who We Are
SFU is a leading research university, advancing an inclusive and sustainable future. Over the past 60 years, SFU has been recognized among the top universities worldwide in providing a world-class education and working with communities and partners to develop and share knowledge for deeper understanding and meaningful impact. Committed to excellence in everything we do, SFU fosters innovation to address global challenges and continues to build a welcoming, inclusive community where everyone feels a sense of belonging. With campuses in British Columbia’s three largest cities—Burnaby, Surrey and Vancouver—SFU has ten faculties that deliver 368 undergraduate degree programs and 149 graduate degree programs for more than 37,000 students each year. The university boasts more than 200,000 alumni residing in 145+ countries. 

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