- These countries had sought over $ 1 trillion in assistance to truly address the complexities of the climate crisis
BAKU: Countries at the United Nations climate conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, adopted a $300 billion a year global finance target on Sunday to help developing nations cope with impacts of climate change, a deal it’s intended recipients denounced as ‘an insult’, according to the UN.
Developing countries, who had sought over $ 1 trillion in assistance to truly address the complexities of the climate crisis, expressed their deep disappointment at the outcome of the talks which came to a contentious end.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also indicated in a social media post his disappointment, saying that he “had hoped for a more ambitious outcome, on both finance and mitigation, to meet the great challenge we face.”
He said, “The agreement is a base on which to build. It must be honoured in full and on time. Commitments must quickly become cash.”
After adoption of the agreement, speakers from one developing country after another assailed the document in furious statements.
“Chaotic, poorly managed, and a complete failure in terms of delivering the ambition required.”
After two weeks of intense negotiations, delegates at COP29, formally the 29th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), agreed to provide this funding annually, with an overall climate financing target to reach at least $1.3 trillion by 2035.
That is the amount they say must be invested in the energy transitions of lower-income countries, in addition to what those countries already spend, to keep the planet average temperature rise under 1.5 degrees Celsius.
Beyond that threshold, scientists say, global warming will become more dangerous and harder to reverse.
Countries also agreed on the rules for a UN-backed global carbon market., the UN said. This market will facilitate the trading of carbon credits, incentivizing countries to reduce emissions and invest in climate-friendly projects.
These were among the big-ticket issues decided upon as the summit, which has been going on since November 12 at the enormous Baku Stadium in the Azerbaijan capital, went into double overtime. Another was the extension of a programme centered on gender and climate change.
This summit had been dubbed the climate finance COP, and representatives from all countries were seeking to establish a new, higher climate finance goal.
The target, or new collective quantified goal (NCQG), will replace the existing $100 billion goal that is due to expire in 2025.
In the closing days at COP29, negotiating teams from the developed and developing worlds were deadlocked over a final deal, with reports that representatives for least developed countries and the Alliance of Small Island States (AOIS) had walked out of the talks.
For some vulnerable nations, it represents a glimmer of hope—but only if commitments translate into swift action. Commitments must quickly become cash, the Secretary-General stressed, urging all countries to work together to meet the upper end of the new financial goal.
Beyond finance, COP29 built on previous gains in emissions reduction targets, the acceleration of the energy transition, and a long-sought agreement on carbon markets. These achievements come despite an uncertain and divided geopolitical landscape, which threatened to derail negotiations.
The UN chief commended negotiators for finding common ground, noting, You have shown that multilateralism – centred on the Paris Agreement – can find a path through the most difficult issues.
UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell described the new finance goal agreed at COP29 as an insurance policy for humanity.
This deal will keep the clean energy boom growing and protect billions of lives. It will help all countries to share in the huge benefits of bold climate action: more jobs, stronger growth, cheaper and cleaner energy for all.But like any insurance policy – it only works – if the pe premiums are paid in full, and on time.
He acknowledged that no country got everything they wanted, and that the world leaves Baku with a mountain of work to do. So, this is no time for victory laps. We need to set our sights and redouble our efforts on the road to in the eastern Amazonian region of Brazil, which is set to host COP30 next year.
While some delegations applauded the deal, others, especially from the developing world, expressed their deep disappointment at what they argued was an insulting financing target and the fact that the agreed text failed to build on an agreement passed last year calling for nations to transition away from fossil fuels.
A representative from a group of small island nations said: After this COP29 ends, we cannot just sail off into the sunset. We are literally sinking, and the conference outcome highlighted what a very different boat our vulnerable countries are in, compared to the developed countries.
Striking a different tone, a representative from the delegation of the European Union said the new climate finance goal would simply will bring much, much more private money on the table, and that is what we need. And with these funds, we are confident we will reach the 1.3 trillion objective.
