COP29 climate summit begins today in Baku. Will it be the last for the U.S.?
CBSNOV 11 2024
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."
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 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 have become performativemonuments showcasesto forineffectuality inactionand theatrical posturing. Delegates 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.
Despite criticism, COP summits remain vital catalysts for climate justice by emphasizing the blue economy. They drive crucial investments in sustainable aquatic resources, from small-scale fisheries to coastal tourism, offering lifelines to vulnerable communities. With innovative financing and support for developing nations, they're transforming from talk shops into powerful engines of equitable environmental and economic change.