COP29 in Baku: Calls for Climate Justice and Equitable Transition

• Nov 21, 2024

The 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, brought together over 70,000 delegates from 170 countries, including world leaders and representatives from more than half of the UN's member nations. The event, running from November 11 to next Friday, focuses on actionable solutions for the escalating climate crisis, particularly energy security, climate financing, and ensuring a just transition for all nations.

Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev used his opening remarks to highlight inconsistencies in global energy policies. Aliyev criticized some Western nations for their "double standards," pointing out how they simultaneously rely on Azerbaijani gas for energy security while labeling resource-exporting nations as "petrol states." Citing a strategic energy partnership signed in Baku two years ago, Aliyev emphasized that natural resources are vital for economic growth and national development, particularly for resource-rich developing nations.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres underscored the urgency of the climate crisis, citing record-breaking temperatures in 2024 that have worsened biodiversity loss, food insecurity, and livelihoods globally. Guterres highlighted that less developed nations—those contributing the least to global emissions—are disproportionately affected by climate change. He called for a rapid, inclusive transition to renewable energy, referencing the Nairobi Declaration, which positions renewable energy as a driver of industrialization and sustainable development across Africa.

“Africa’s renewable energy potential can revolutionize lives, from Cairo to Cape Town,” Guterres remarked during a session titled Africa’s Green Momentum: Harnessing Renewables for Industrialisation.

A key focus of the summit is on the responsibility of affluent nations, particularly the G20, to support climate resilience in developing countries. This includes doubling adaptation finance to $40 billion by 2025 and operationalizing the loss and damage fund. Guterres reiterated that wealthier nations, as the largest polluters, have an ethical duty to lead in funding green initiatives and ensuring climate justice through the "polluter pays" principle.

Leaders at COP29 stressed the need to reform international financial systems to alleviate the debt burdens on developing countries, enabling them to invest in sustainable projects. Climate equity, they argue, requires meaningful action, not just promises.

The stakes are clear: to ensure a sustainable and equitable future, developed nations must back their commitments with funding, technology, and support for responsible resource use in less developed nations.