The Climate Diplomat: A Personal History of the COP Conferences

There is nobody better on climate change and international negotiations.’ – Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero

‘I have nothing but the deepest admiration for his incredible contribution over the years and his continued commitment to climate action in the face of great personal challenge.’ – Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC 2010-2016

The Climate Diplomat is a unique insider account of the climate negotiations that have shaped and continue to shape the future of our planet, but it is also a fascinating and important book on geopolitics and how the big players like the US, the EU and China negotiate with one another. Drawing on over three decades of experience as the UK and EU’s lead climate negotiator, Peter Betts paints a warts-and-all picture of how world leaders and diplomats tackle these discussions, providing a ringside seat at pivotal moments, such as the run-up to Copenhagen (COP15), the Cartagena Dialogue, the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement (COP21) and as advisor to the UK government on COP 26 in Glasgow.

Reflecting on his life’s work in the final months of his life, Betts provides a revealing portrait of international politics at the highest level with key insights into the motivations of all the major players. He also gives a detailed story of COP, explaining how this controversial and often embattled forum has been crucial in altering the future of our planet’s ecosystem.

About the Author:

Peter Betts was the Director of International Climate Change at Department of Energy and Climate Change from 2008 to 2018 with overall responsibility for UK strategy on international climate policy and Lead Negotiator for the EU for six years, including at the Paris COP. After leaving the Civil Service in 2018 he held a number of roles in the public, private and international sector – as senior advisor to the Climate Change Committee, the International Energy Agency, the International Renewable Energy, Kaya Advisory and Willis Towers Watson among others.

He was appointed CBE in 2010 and CB in 2020. Peter died of brain cancer in October 2023.