Ep. 06 The Climate Diplomat: Why COP Still Matters
In this bonus episode, we step behind the headlines of the latest UN climate talks with writer, editor, and climate activist Grace Pengelly — collaborator on the late Peter Betts’ remarkable book The Climate Diplomat: A Personal History of the COP Conferences.
Recorded in the immediate aftermath of the most recent COP, this conversation digs into what really happened, why the negotiations felt particularly fraught, and what Pete’s decades of experience can teach us about multilateral climate diplomacy — even when it looks messy, slow, or “on life support.”
Grace shares:
How she came to work with Pete Betts during the final year of his life
Why Pete believed COP — for all its flaws — is still the only global forum capable of delivering progress at scale
What he might have made of the latest summit
How “side processes” and quiet relationship-building often drive real breakthroughs
Why reforming COP doesn’t mean abandoning it
And the role civil society, media, finance, and long-term negotiators must play in what comes next
If you’ve ever wondered whether the COP system is still fit for purpose — or why anyone keeps turning up — this is a thoughtful, human, and deeply grounded look inside the world of climate diplomacy.
📚 Resources & People Mentioned
Follow Grace Pengelly’s Substack
Forest & Climate Finance Initiative (Brazil’s ‘Forest Future Finance’ / TFF)