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Bula COP31!

Heidi Dumesich and Jack Whelan

Bula COP31 is a podcast for anyone wanting to understand what it means for Australia and the Türkiye to co-host COP31 in 2026, and why this moment is influential in the UNFCCC process. Australia will be putting the Pacific Islands at the forefront of the climate negotiations to ensure adaptation and infrastructure investments flow to the region.


Your hosts are Heidi Dumesich and Jack Whelan.


Jack is a proud boomer who started his sustainability career long before it was considered ‘cool’. His experience spans the earliest COPs and reaches across business, industry, government, development agencies, NGOs, and the UN. He’s worked with the International Chamber of Commerce and the World Business Council on Sustainable Development; and across Asia-Pacific with the Pacific Region Infrastructure Facility, Asian Development Bank, and World Bank. Jack was nominated by Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to the design team that established the IRIS initiative, supporting climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure in Small Island Developing States — work that sits at the heart of Pacific climate priorities.


Heidi Dumesich is a millennial environmental scientist focused on implementing practical solutions. She’s the seasoned podcaster behind Life on Planet A, and currently a Sustainability Manager at Ventia, leading an Infrastructure Sustainability Council rating for a major road project. Heidi brings a fresh, grounded perspective on climate action and how sustainability plays out across communities and sectors.


Bula COP31 explores what really happens behind the scenes of a COP — with a special focus on how Pacific leadership, values, and voices shape the global climate agenda. Through candid conversations with stakeholders across Pacific governments, Australian agencies, industry, civil society, youth, and community groups, we unpack how climate diplomacy in our region is driven by relationships, resilience, and shared responsibility.


Whether you're a policymaker, business leader, activist, Pacific climate champion, or simply COP-curious, this podcast is your guide to getting the most out of COP31 — and understanding how it can deliver for the Blue Pacific Continent.

Tune in, get engaged, and say Bula COP31!

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  • 23 episodes
  • Avg 30 min
  • English

Episodes 23

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  • Sep 3, 2025 · 29 min

     Episode 'E' for Esperance: Afonso from Climate Crew

    G'day everybody! In this episode, we sit down with Afonso, a sustainability innovator, entrepreneur, and community builder who’s shaping how organisations and people respond to the climate challenge. As the founder of NetNada, a sustainability reporting and carbon accounting software company, Afonso has helped Australian and global organisations meet climate-related disclosure requirements under AASB and CSRD, built the award-winning NetNada Academy that’s trained 150+ professionals, and delivered over 100 GHG-aligned carbon inventories. Afonso is also the co-founder of Pharmacycle, Australia’s only end-to-end recycling solution for the nation’s billion-sized blister pack problem, which has already achieved a 100% diversion rate, national coverage with 1,000+ drop-off points, and partnerships with major pharmacy chains. But this conversation isn’t about software and recycling—it’s about people and movements. Afonso is the coordinator of Climate Crew, a fast-growing community of 1,000+ members driving connection and action across Australia’s climate space. With COP31 set to take place in Adelaide, we discuss Climate Crew’s role as the “Unofficial Social Hub” of the conference: from breakfast clubs and evening meetups, to thematic gatherings on nature tech and climate finance, and a special focus on amplifying Pacific voices. We talk about the motivation behind Climate Crew, how it differs from other climate groups, and what legacy it hopes to leave at COP31—whether as advocates, connectors, or facilitators of the climate movement. If you want to understand the future of sustainability—from corporate disclosure to community-led climate action—this episode is for you. Links: https://www.altercop.com/australia https://www.pharmacycle.com.au/about https://www.netnada.com/ https://www.linkedin.com/company/myclimatecrew/posts/?feedView=all Follow us on our socials for more content: Instagram & LinkedIn

  • S1 · E4
    Jul 31, 2025 · 32 min

    Episode 'D' for Darwin: Youth Voices in Climate Policy with Diksha Duggal

    In this episode, Diksha Duggal reflects on her path into the YOUNGO constituency and explores the critical role of youth in climate negotiations. She discusses the push for greater inclusivity, YOUNGO’s preparations for COP 30 and COP 31, and the importance of grassroots movements in shaping climate policy. Takeaways Diksha's journey into the Youngo constituency began with her passion for sustainability. Youngo serves as the collective voice for youth in climate negotiations. Inclusivity and youth engagement are crucial in climate discussions. Diksha emphasizes the importance of grassroots movements in climate activism. The upcoming COP 30 and COP 31 are pivotal for youth engagement. Every voice matters in the fight against climate change. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Youngo and Diksha's Journey 03:02 Understanding Youngo's Role in Climate Action 06:05 Preparing for COP 30: Strategies and Collaborations 08:11 Youth Engagement and Inclusivity in Climate Discussions 12:31 Addressing Key Issues Raised at SB 62 21:12 How do people get involved in YOUNGOs/ COP process 24:40 Mascot for COP30 - Curupira 26:12 Capacity Building for Youth Participation 28:00 Blueprint for Future COPs LINKS UNFCC YOUNGO website: https://unfccc.int/topics/action-for-climate-empowerment-children-and-youth/youth/youngo https://youngoclimate.org/ Links to become a YOUNGO member: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18eatDBTHPKJLCzBS9lsE17tzi8mPys5MiXmsGPTNdlA/edit?tab=t.0 https://forms.gle/SmLx8n3dezbtMWaC8 YOUNGO Unveils Strategic Policy Position at SB62: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/youngo-strategic-policy-position-youngo-unfccc-zgprc/ Conference of Youth (COY): https://unfccc.int/topics/education-and-youth/youngo/coy Follow us on our socials for more content: Instagram & LinkedIn

  • S1 · E3
    Jul 25, 2025 · 35 min

    Episode 'C' for Canberra: Reforming the COP: The Path to Efficiency

    In this Episode ‘C for Canberra’ of G'day COP31!, Heidi and Jack explore recent calls by various civil society groups for reforms in the UNFCCC process - to address concerns about inclusivity, observer engagement, representation and participation. Some want so-called ‘vested interests’ to be limited or even excluded. The conversation focuses on efforts to involve diverse stakeholders in the climate dialogue to achieve meaningful outcomes. Takeaways Australia's bid for COP31 remains uncertain as Turkey continues to assert its position. The UNFCCC process is evolving in response to calls for inclusivity and effectiveness. Observers are seeking a more prominent role in negotiations, but how? Regional climate weeks will facilitate broader engagement and geographical representation. Limiting participation by certain interest groups in COP events is a complex issue. Accredited NGOs are clustered in stakeholder constituency groups. Resources: UNFCCC Constituency Focal Points - https://unfccc.int/documents/228031 UNFCCC Party (Country) Groupings – see https://unfccc.int/party-groupings#:~:text=The%20Umbrella%20Group%20is%20a,Federation%2C%20Ukraine%20and%20the%20US. UNFCCC Message to Constituencies of admitted NGOs – Climate Week 2, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1-6 Sept 2025 https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/resource/Notification_NGOs_ClimateWeek2.pdf Article about Australia’s bid to host COP31, The Guardian –https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jun/28/albanese-will-need-to-resolve-the-standoff-with-turkey-if-australia-is-to-host-cop31 Chapters 00:00 Introduction and Context of COP31 03:00 The UNFCCC Bond Climate Meetings and Australia's Role 06:07 Improving the COP Process: Efficiency and Inclusivity 08:25 Observer Engagement 12:40 Managing Overcrowding and Participation Limits 19:06 Regional Climate Weeks: A New Approach 28:18 Vested Interests and Their Impact on Climate Negotiations 34:00 Conclusion and Future Directions Follow us on our socials for more content: Instagram & LinkedIn

Showing 21–23 of 23 episodes