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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 'H' for Hobart: Tegan Clark Empowering Youth at COP
In this episode, we chat with Tegan Clark, a PhD candidate at ANU and research assistant at the Global Institute for Women’s Leadership, about her journey from growing up in Cairns to becoming a leading youth voice in climate action.
Tegan shares how her connection with nature shaped her decision to get involved in climate activism. She talks about her experience at COP29 with Plan International Australia’s Youth Activist Series, the importance of interdisciplinary science, and her work advocating for stronger youth engagement in global climate negotiations.
We also discuss Tegan’s submission to Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW), the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for COP31, which focuses on breaking down barriers to youth participation, and the role of initiatives like the Australian Pacific Youth Climate Dialogue in empowering young climate leaders. Tune in to hear Tegan’s vision for a COP where young people’s voices are not just present — they’re truly heard and valued.
Links:
The Australia Pacific Youth Climate Dialogue
COP31: A COP for Children and Young People
Chapters
00:00 Introduction to Tegan Clark
03:39 Journey to Climate Activism
07:27 Experiences at COP29
11:17 Fossil fuel companies at COPs
13:04 Submission for COP31: A COP for Children and Young People
16:16 Australian Pacific Youth Climate Dialogue
19:10 Learning from Pacific Youth and First Nations Perspectives
20:19 Training Programs for Youth Engagement
23:15 Confidence for Youth at COPs
25:30 Overcoming Challenges in Diverse Backgrounds
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