They're here to finance climate action. But COP29 is more about bickering
NBCNOV 30 2024
Wealthy countries at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Sunday agreed to provide at least $300B annually in climate aid to developing countries by 2035.
The aid, clinched after two weeks of intense negotiations, is far from the full amount ($1.3T) that developing countries had requested, but is higher than the $100B currently provided. The final agreement forced an extra day of talks after dozens of countries staged a walkout.
The agreement, which called for all parties to use public and private sources to approach the $1.3T goal, also includes a "Fund for Loss and Damage," which already has $730M in pledged funding — the largest donors for that fund are Australia and Sweden.
Given developed countries' current economic constraints and domestic challenges, the $300B a year COP29 climate deal represents a realistic commitment. The amount already triples previous commitments and reflects the maximum feasible contribution while balancing other national priorities. It's an important down payment toward a safer, more equitable future.
This agreement is woefully insufficient and falls short of the $1.3T needed to address climate adaptation, damage recovery, and clean energy transition. The current proposal severely undermines the ability of the poorest and most vulnerable nations to combat climate change impacts they didn't cause, while wealthy nations avoid their legal obligations.
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