Bula COP31!
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!
Bula COP31!
Episode ‘A’ for Adelaide: G'day COP31
G'day everybody! Welcome to the first episode of G'day COP31.
Meet your hosts: Heidi (Millennial, podcast pro) and Jack (Baby Boomer, podcast newbie) — a cross-generational duo diving into what it really means for (if) Australia to host COP31.
We’re not lobbyists, and we don't align with a particular interest group or political party. We’re here to demystify the COP process, unpack Australia’s bid to host, and shine a light on the voices that matter — especially from the Pacific region, which is central to Australia’s proposed partnership for COP31.
In this launch episode, we assume Australia succeeds in its bid (announcement expected soon), and we’re here to help everyday Australians and regional stakeholders understand:
- What COP actually is
- How to get involved
- Why it matters—especially for Heidi’s generation
No spin. No sponsors (yet). Just open, honest conversations about how you can engage, why it matters, and what COP31 could mean for Australia — and the planet.
Some links that can help you follow along with the COP process:
Here is the official UNFCCC link for the June UN Climate Meetings (SB62): https://unfccc.int/sb62
The schedule of events for the SB62 meetings is continuously updated, and will indicate which sessions are available for public webcast. See in particular, the Presidency-led consultation event with Parties on the Baku to Belém Roadmap, at 14h00 on 16 June. This could be when Australia or Turkey is announced as the host of COP31: https://unfccc.int/sb62/schedule?type=All
Social media access to SB62 in Bonn: https://unfccc.int/sb62/ifp#Social-media-and-photos
Article on 'What to Expect at the Bonn Climate Change Conference 2025: https://www.iisd.org/articles/explainer/what-to-expect-bonn-climate-change-conference-2025
Earth Negotiations Bulletin (go to for every detail at COP): https://enb.iisd.org/about/earth-negotiations-bulletin
https://www.instagram.com/bula_cop31/