David Hoffmann, political advocacy coordinator at the Third World Solidarity Action (ASTM), is currently in Antalya, Turkey, where he is the only representative of Luxembourg's politically active civil society participating in the UN Climate Change Conference, COP31.
He has held this position for three years, building on a long-standing interest in international politics and development. He notes that his fascination with questions of inequality, the history behind global disparities, and how to address injustice has shaped his career path.
While the Luxembourg government is represented by Environment Minister Serge Wilmes, Hoffmann brings a different perspective and focuses on ensuring that the voices and concerns of the Global South are heard in these critical negotiations.
Since Thursday, Hoffmann has been in Antalya, attending COP31. He considers the summit to be an essential platform for negotiation, particularly now as opportunities for global dialogue have become increasingly scarce.
According to him, being able to participate in negotiations as a unified voice is critical for countries from the Global South, as it allows them to gradually work toward a fairer climate policy for the future.
At COP31, Hoffmann is the only representative of politically active civil society from Luxembourg. His responsibilities include monitoring the positions and announcements made by Luxembourg and the European Union, while also coordinating with other civil society representatives from across the EU.
He highlights the value of exchanging views and analysing political compromises together with activists from different countries, describing these daily collaborations as a key aspect of the summit experience.
Hoffmann also plays a role in making developments at COP31 accessible to Luxembourg's public. He prepares press releases, analytical pieces, and short video interviews, which he shares through social media channels such as ASTM's Instagram account.
This approach allows him to communicate ongoing discussions, highlight areas of criticism, as well as offer critical analyses of both the negotiation process and its outcomes to a wider audience in Luxembourg.
Negotiation is at the core of COP31, but reaching agreement is often fraught with difficulty. Hoffmann points out that certain Arab countries, who gain significant economic benefits from oil and fossil fuel production, have repeatedly blocked more ambitious climate agreements.
Another persistent challenge, he says, lies in negotiations with the Global North, including the EU, particularly regarding financial compensation and the allocation of resources to countries in the Global South.
These resources are designed to help less developed nations better prepare for future climate disasters, yet many of these countries are minimally responsible for the current climate crisis and lack the resources that wealthier nations have amassed through industrialisation.
It is widely accepted among experts that people in less developed countries are most affected by the consequences of climate change.
Hoffmann cites recent events such as a massive landslide in Nepal and Tibet, which resulted in more than 1,400 deaths, and severe floods in Bangladesh that impacted over two million people.
Despite this, he says that wealthy and industrialised countries in the Global North are often reluctant to pay their fair share and tend to react defensively when confronted with calls for responsibility and financial contributions during negotiations.
Hoffmann believes that COP31 should send a clear political signal on climate justice and equitable responsibility, one that will have an impact beyond the conference itself.
COP31 is officially scheduled to run until Friday, 20 November, but extensions into the weekend are not uncommon. Hoffmann considers protracted negotiations to be a sign that there is still scope to improve compromises.
He suggests that if talks conclude early, it may indicate that the most contentious issues were not thoroughly addressed, potentially resulting in a disappointing outcome.
