COP29 climate summit begins today in Baku. Will it be the last for the U.S.?
CBSNOV 11 2024
Key climate experts and leaders, including former UN chief Ban Ki-moon and climate scientist Johan Rockström, believe the annual Conferences of the Parties (COP) summits need an overhaul. They've said that these talks are "no longer fit for purpose."In a letter to the UN, Key climate experts and leaders, including former UN chief Ban Ki-moon and climate scientist Johan Rockström, said that the annual Conferences of the Parties (COP) summits need an overhaul as they are "no longer fit for purpose."
The climate-watchers have written an open letter to the UN seeking more transparency and more restrictions on fossil fuel lobbying, insisting that host nations must back phasing out fossil fuels. The letter said the summit's “current structure simply cannot deliver.”Insisting that the COP's "current structure simply cannot deliver" and that host nations must support phasing out fossil fuels, climate watchers have called for more transparency and restrictions on fossil fuel lobbying.
This follows reports that an official of the Azerbaijan government, the host of COP29 in session this week, discussed fossil fuel deals on the Baku summit's sideline. Earlier, defending the emissions by his country, Pres. Ilham Aliyev said oil and gas were a "gift of god."This follows reports that an official of the Azerbaijan government, the host of COP29 in session this week, discussed fossil fuel deals on the summit's sideline. Earlier, defending the emissions by his country, Pres. Ilham Aliyev said oil and gas were a "gift of god."
In an era of mounting climate catastrophe, the COP summits standare as monuments to ineffectuality and theatrical posturing. Like a troupe performing the same tired play, delegates gather annually to recite well-worn lines while fossil fuel executives lurk in the wings, pulling strings. From the UAE's oil baron presidency to Azerbaijan's divine praise of natural gas, these summits have devolved into fossil fuel trade fairs masquerading as climate action, achieving a success rate that would embarrass even the most mediocre of endeavors.
Despite criticism, COP summits remain vital catalysts for climate justice, particularly through their evolving focus on the blue economy. These gatherings are steering crucial investments toward sustainable aquatic resources, from small-scale fisheries to coastal tourism, offering lifelines to vulnerable communities. With innovative financing mechanisms and targeted support for developing nations, COPs are transforming from talk shops into powerful engines of equitable environmental and economic change.