Each COP marks a crucial moment in the global response to the climate crisis. Recent scientific assessments and the findings of the first Global Stocktake show that the window to limit global warming to 1.5 °C is rapidly closing.
Ten years after the Paris Agreement, COP30 – hosted in Belém, Brazil – will focus on raising the ambition of national climate targets (NDCs) and translating these commitments into concrete action.
With the Amazon as its backdrop, the conference will also highlight forest protection, biodiversity, and the inclusion of Indigenous peoples and local communities as essential components of a just and sustainable transition.
IKEM's key topics at COP30
Just Transition
The global energy transition is reshaping economies and societies worldwide, but without careful planning the shift from fossil fuels risks deepening inequalities within and between countries. Since its inclusion in the preamble of the Paris Agreement, Just Transition has become a key focus of international climate negotiations. The concept aims to embed social justice and equity into climate policy, turning the energy transition into a driver of inclusive growth, innovation, and sustainable development.
Quelle: Pexels/Kevin Malik 
Soil Protection and Land Use
Legal Reports
The following reports on international legal frameworks for soil protection were first published in German in the journal Klima & Recht (issue 10/2025).
Discussion Paper on Peatland Protection
The following paper analyzes and contextualizes global developments in peatland protection in relation to the expected outcomes of COP30.
IKEM events leading up to COP30
International Seminar on Climate Justice and Sustainability
3 November 2025 | 9:30—15:30 | Supreme Federal Court, Brasília
The seminar, organized by the Supreme Federal Court and the Centro de Ensino Unificado de Brasília (CEUB), brought together leading scholars from Germany, Australia, South Africa, and Brazil, alongside Brazilian constitutional judges and senior policymakers, to discuss the role of constitutional courts in addressing the global climate and environmental crisis. Aimed at developing proposals for an international research network among constitutional courts, the event sought to strengthen global legal dialogue on climate protection.
Representing IKEM and IFZO, Prof. Dr. Michael Rodi, Till Reinholz, and Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia examined institutional and legal challenges in the post-COP-30 era and the importance of effective governance structures for climate protection, energy, and sustainable development.
Land Use, Climate Governance, and the Road to COP 30
4 November 2025 | 8:00—12:00 | Centro de Ensino Unificado de Brasília (CEUB), Brasília
This international symposium brought together experts from Australia, South Africa, Germany, and Brazil to discuss legal and institutional pathways for implementing climate goals beyond COP 30. The event, organized by the Faculty of Law at the Centro de Ensino Unificado de Brasília (CEUB), focused on the role of land use, agricultural law, and intergenerational justice in global climate policy.
Representing IKEM and IFZO, Prof. Dr. Michael Rodi, Till Reinholz, and Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia contributed the German research perspective, addressing sustainable land use with a focus on soils and wetlands, equitable climate governance, legal systems in times of crisis, and the inclusion of future generations in legal decision-making.
Quelle: IKEM 
Exchange with policymakers
5 November 2025 | Chamber of Deputies, Brasília
Prof. Dr. Michael Rodi, Till Reinholz, and Dr. Ievgeniia Kopytsia visited the Brazilian Chamber of Deputies as part of a delegation of international scientists. During the meeting with high-level policymakers, they explored opportunities for future scientific and political cooperation between Brazil, Australia, Ukraine, and Germany. The visit concluded with attendance at a plenary session, where the delegation was officially welcomed by the President of the Chamber.
Climate Emergency in the Courts
6 November 2025 | IPD, Brasília
At this event, hosted by the IPD, experts from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Australia, and Germany discussed climate litigation in their respective countries from a comparative law perspective. Prof. Dr. Michael Rodi contributed insights from the German context, with particular reference to the case law of the Federal Constitutional Court.
IKEM events during COP30
COP30 side event
Reshaping Ecocide: From Conflict and Climate Frontlines to Global Momentum for Change
13 November 2025 | 15:00–16:30 | Ukraine Pavilion
This session examines the evolving concept of ecocide amid climate change and conflict. Experts will explore legal, political, and societal pathways to make ecocide an internationally recognized crime, sharing insights from global efforts and Ukraine’s leadership in framing wartime ecocide. The discussion connects legal innovation with realities from the Amazon to Ukraine, highlighting why ecocide recognition is key for climate justice, post-conflict recovery, and global security.
COP30 side event
(Re)Building Fair Futures: Just Transition Pathways for a Resilient and Inclusive Recovery
13 November 2025 | 17:00—18:30 | Ukraine Pavilion
This high-level discussion will explore how Ukraine’s recovery and NDC 3.0 process can demonstrate a people-centred approach to resilience, decarbonisation, and social justice. Drawing from experiences in Brazil, the EU, and Ukraine, speakers will discuss how just transition can evolve from a social safeguard to a strategic governance and financing framework that unites recovery, energy security, and climate ambition. The session will also consider how international cooperation (e.g. Article 6.2 frameworks, multilateral funds, and philanthropy) can support transformative recovery finance and new partnerships between regions and sectors.
COP30 side event
Building a Just Transition: Political-Economic Approaches for Social Equity and Prosperity
14 November 2025 | 16:15—17:15 | Brazilian Pavilion
At this event, hosted by Instituto E+, international experts will discuss political-economic approaches for a just and equitable energy transition. Prof. Dr. Michael Rodi will contribute insights on building a global governance architecture that accommodates diverse national trajectories—developed countries, developing economies, and fossil fuel exporters—while safeguarding climate commitments.
COP30 side event
Security from the Ground Up: Soils and the Foundations of Resilience
17 November 2025 | 10:30—12:00 | Ukraine Pavilion
In Ukraine, where the devastation of war meets the accelerating impacts of climate change, vast areas of land, millions of hectares of farmland, forests, and peatlands, remain mined, contaminated, or waterlogged, threatening ecosystems, livelihoods, and future recovery. Restoring these landscapes is not only an environmental duty but a strategic act of resilience, stability, and peacebuilding. This high-level session will explore how land restoration, soil governance, and ecosystem recovery (e.g. peatland rewetting) can advance climate resilience, post-war reconstruction, and regional stability.
Official UNFCCC side event
Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation for Agriculture in Conflict-Affected Countries
18 November 2025 | 16:45—18:15 | Side Event Room 1, Area C
Conflict-affected countries face unique challenges in achieving food security and climate resilience. This event, hosted by PGA, EcoClub, Ground Truth Solutions, IKEM, and Solon Center, explores intersectional approaches to advancing the Sharm el-Sheikh joint work on agriculture—highlighting legal and policy pathways for soil protection, humanitarian demining for soil remediation, and locally led adaptation strategies addressing health impacts.
COP30 side event
Seeds of Resilience: Innovations for Ukraine’s Food and National Security
19 November 2025 | 11:00—12:30 | Ukraine Pavilion
Ukraine’s agriculture remains a pillar of resilience and global food security despite the ongoing war. This session examines how innovation, climate-smart technologies, and sustainable finance can strengthen Ukraine’s ability to feed its people, revive rural regions, and support global stability. Panelists will explore opportunities in blended finance, renewable energy, and digital transformation to modernize agriculture—making it green, sovereign, and reinforcing the link between food, security, and peace.
