The keynote will take a point of departure in Jens' own extensive and diverse COP experience — spanning fifteen conferences from Copenhagen in 2009 to the present, including serving as COP Political Lead for Greenpeace when the Paris Agreement was adopted in 2015. Drawing on this background, and seasoned with candid and telling anecdotes from the conference corridors, Jens will reflect on how the COP process has evolved over the years: in ambition, politics, and character. He will share his perspective on the key challenges facing the multilateral climate agenda today — and what they mean for the COP process specifically. Jens will offer insights into how advocates can build and exercise influence at COP. Finally, he will address a question that has become increasingly urgent: is COP still a useful arena — and if not, what are the alternatives?