COA students join the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference ofthe Parties (which included the first Meeting of the Parties of the Kyoto Protocol) for the first time, in what would become an annual event.

COA joined the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) in 2004. This initial delegation set an annual precedent; today COA participates in the Conference of Parties each year. COA’s official observer organization status with COP allows a select group of students to attend the conferences. There they learn about climate negotiations, international politics and environmental policy. This is an incredible opportunity for hands-on learning that puts students at the very heart of contemporary climate negotiations and champions COA mission of sustainability and environmental consciousness.