Professor Elena KorostelevaLink opens in a new window and Dr Aijan SharshenovaLink opens in a new window, SHAPEDEM-EULink opens in a new window team at the University of Warwick, participated in the 2nd Annual Progress Meeting of the SHAPEDEM-EU Consortium. Professor Korosteleva reported on the progress of the deliverables under the Working Package 2 "Democratic practices and democracy support in the Eastern Neighbourhood and discussed prospects of future collaborations with the consortium members.

SHAPEDEM-EULink opens in a new window is a consortium of 12 research, policy and civil society institutions set out to rethink, reshape, and review the EU’s democracy promotion policies, while elaborating and pilot testing a novel model of a Democracy Learning Loop. The project is funded by the European Union under the Horizon Europe funding framework.

SHAPEDEM-EU, an EU-funded Horizon project with the participation of the University of Warwick, produced a new publication by Richard Youngs and Elena Ventura (Carnegie Europe). "The EU pushes back a new democracy plan: A mistake? A review of the Action Plan on Human Rights and Democracy" critically assesses the EU's 2020-2024 Action Plan and its mid-term review, examining the implications of their design and implementation. The publication is available as open access at the linkLink opens in a new window.

Dr Aijan SharshenovaLink opens in a new window, a research fellow at the SHAPEDEM-EULink opens in a new window project team, presented her co-authored research project on the prospects of introducing carbon pricing as a climate change mitigation mechanism in the Kyrgyz Republic, a developing landlocked nation in Central Asia. Dr. Sharshenova partnered with environmental economist and Harvard University Fellow Dr. Rahat SabyrbekovLink opens in a new window to develop this policy-relevant study. The 8th CAREC Think Tank Development Forum "The climate challenge: Thinking beyond borders for collective action" brought together researchers, international financial institutions and national policy makers to discuss practical solutions to climate change in Asia.

Prof. Elena Korosteleva has been invited to be a Board Member of the Scientific Council in preparation for the COP29 Presidency by Azerbaijan. As part of the Board's remit, the scientists will work on the agenda, ideas and recommendations for COP29. The 1st meeting took place on Friday, 26 July 2024, and involved 30 members from the international Scientific Community. Members were addressed by H.E. Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-Designate, Minister of Energy and Dr Elnur Soltanov, CEO of COP29, & Deputy Minister of Energy in Azerbaijan. The meeting was hosted by ADA University, its Rector Ambassador Hafiz Pashaeyev, Rector, and Dr Fariz Ismailzade, Vice Rector.

The meeting discussed key challenges and issues for COP29, to shape the agenda as well as the activities for side events at COP29. The next meeting is scheduled for September 2024.

COP29 related researches and analysis by ADA University's IDD: https://idd.az/en/research_and_analysis/cop29/

IGSD had a network away day, with a facilitator Dr Paula Black, to review its strategy and identify roadmaps for growing further, including its Thematic and Honorary Fellows' networks. The Away Day took place at the Junction, and was informative as to ways forward, including how to better integrate and contribute to the Sustainability Spotlight Initiative, going forward.