'In its best passages reads like a briskly paced thriller' - Fiona Harvey, The Guardian 'There is nobody better on climate change and international negotiations' - Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero 'I have nothing but the deepest admiration for his incredible contribution over the years and his continued commitment to climate action in the face of great personal challenge' - Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC 2010-2016 Drawing on over three decades of experience as the UK and EU's lead climate negotiator, Peter Betts paints a warts-and-all picture of how world leaders and diplomats tackle the COP negotiations, providing a ringside seat at pivotal moments, such as the run-up to Copenhagen (COP15), the Cartagena Dialogue, the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement (COP21) and Glasgow (COP26). The Climate Diplomat is a unique insider account of the discussions that have shaped and continue to shape the future of our planet, but it also describes how the major powers such as the US, the EU and China negotiate with one another. Reflecting on his life's work in the final months of his life, Betts provides a revealing portrait of international politics at the highest level with key insights into the motivations of all the major players. He also gives a detailed history of COP, explaining how this controversial and often embattled forum has been crucial in altering the future of our planet's ecosystem.

With plenty of sardonic asides and cheeky anecdotes, this account of more than a decade of climate talks is accessible to general readers but has enough previously unknown detail to satisfy the COP nerd ... in its best passages reads like a briskly paced thriller * Fiona Harvey, The Guardian *
A pleasingly undiplomatic and revealing memoir -- Pilita Clark * Financial Times *
Unique ... Nobody else could have written this book, and it shines a valuable light on the patient, unsung work of diplomacy. I finished the book thankful for the largely invisible work of people like Peter Betts, who have dedicated their careers to difficult conversations on behalf of us all. * Jeremy Williams, The Earthbound Report *
Diplomacy can change the world. In this book, Betts provides an unparalleled insight into exactly how this change can happen. -- Madeleine Cuff * New Scientist *
There is nobody better on climate change and international negotiations. * Rt. Hon. Ed Miliband *
We owe to him, in my view, the Paris Agreement. * Rt. Hon. John Gummer, Lord Deben, Chair of the UK’s Climate Change Committee *
He had a vision of where we all needed to go and vision of what we needed to do to get there. * Todd Stern, US Special Envoy for Climate Change *
I have nothing but the deepest admiration for his incredible contribution over the years and his continued commitment to climate action in the face of great personal challenge. * Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC 2010–2018 *
Both inspiring and heartbreaking ... a work of great insight * Nick Robins, Chair of Just Transition Finance Lab, LSE *
One of the world's most experienced environmental negotiators * Financial Times *
Pete Betts is a legend of UNFCCC diplomacy * Simon Sharpe, author of Five Times Sharper: Rethinking the Science, Economics and Diplomacy of Climate Change *
This is the definitive history of the global negotiations over climate policy over the last twenty five years, written by the man at the centre of all important discussions. Pete Betts makes us realise just how complicated and difficult these discussions have been and his achievement in gradually pulling all the world's nations into a shared approach to emissions reduction was remarkable. The writing is simple and candid, and not afraid to criticise those who wanted to use the annual conferences of the world's nations to push forward their personal agenda. But throughout we see how utterly devoted Pete Betts was to herding the world's diverse societies into shared and fair contributions to reducing the threat from climate change. * Chris Goodall *
[A] brilliant book...stands as a testament to diplomatic nous and commitment to leave the world a better place for future generations * African Business Magazine *

Peter Betts was the Director of International Climate Change at Defra from 2008 to 2018 with overall responsibility for UK strategy on international climate policy and Lead Negotiator for the EU for six years, including at the Paris COP. After leaving the Civil Service in 2018 he was senior advisor to the Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency and advisor to the International Energy Agency. He was appointed CBE in 2010 and CB in 2020. Peter died of brain cancer in October 2023.