Featured Image Courtesy of COP 29 Azerbaijan / X profile
This year, the 29th edition of the annual COP was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. While many important issues were tackled, the choice of the host country sparked many controversies and captured global attention.
What are the COPs? Definition and Historical Remarks
COP (Conference of the Parties) is the supreme decision-making body of the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change), adopted in 1992 with the aim of preventing dangerous human interference with the climate system. During annual conferences, all member countries of the framework meet to discuss possible solutions for mitigating the impacts of climate change and ensuring a sustainable future for all. To reach these goals a number of frameworks have been implemented. Among them, one of the most significant was the Paris Agreement during COP21 in 2015, where parties agreed to limit global warming well below 2o with efforts to keep it below 1.5o.
COP29 Azerbaijan
This year, the annual conference was held in the capital city of Azerbaijan, Baku, from Nov 11th to Nov 22nd. Nearly 200 countries with their groups of delegates participated in the conference, totaling around 65.000 registered attendees, making COP29 the second-largest COP, only dominated by COP28 in Dubai.
The conference began with the opening ceremony, during which many world leaders addressed the assembly to intensify climate action commitments and “Invest in a Livable Planet for All”. Mukhtar Babayev, the president of the COP29, emphasized the importance of implementing the Paris Agreement and securing a new goal on climate finance.
Highlights of COP29
- Agreement on carbon market standards: The Framework under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement aims to create carbon credits that will help reduce emissions and attract investment, particularly in developing countries.
- Transparent climate reporting: Parties to the Paris Agreement are required to submit biennial transparency reports (BTR) every two years, starting from 2024, which will help build mutual trust and confidence among countries.
- Brazil’s new climate action plan: On the 3rd day of the conference the vice president of Brazil submitted the country’s new climate action plan (NDC 3.0),
- Unpacking global support for loss and damage: Through shared expertise, financial support, and collaboration, the Warsaw International Mechanism (WIM), the Santiago Network, and the Fund are working to better meet the needs of vulnerable communities affected by climate change impacts.
- Finance Day: New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) will be working to help countries protect their people and economies against climate disasters.
- Energy Day: Parties committed to reducing the production of fossil fuels and aim to scale up renewable, clean energy and promote green energy zones and corridors.
- Baku Climate Dialogue with Indigenous Peoples: On Nov 16, the Presidency of COP29 and UN Climate Change had a dialogue with Indigenous Peoples.
- The Second Annual High-Level Ministerial Roundtable: The political discussion focused on the needs and challenges faced by countries in the implementation of the UAE just transition work program.
- Gender Day: During the High-Level Event on Gender and Transparency discussions were conducted on how gender data can improve climate action transparency and prioritization.
During the 13 days of the conference, over 200 official events took place. These included high-level plenaries, thematic days, side events, workshops, panels, and more. The annual goal of the finance to developing countries was tripled from $100 billion to $300 billion by 2035. The rules for carbon credit trading and registry operations under the Paris Agreement were finalized. Significant improvements were made in the transparency of climate reporting.
Controversies
While COP29 became the second-largest conference, it was also one of the most heavily criticized COPS in recent history. One of the biggest controversies arose from Azerbaijan’s poor human rights record, particularly regarding the suppression of environmental activists and political dissent.
In her speech at the American University of Armenia, eco-activist Greta Thunberg responded to questions as to why she was absent from COP29: “The agendas of us climate activists and those of the summit organizers are entirely different. Azerbaijan is responsible for ethnic cleansing, so it is nauseating to witness the hypocrisy of hosting this conference there… Not only does Azerbaijan commit horrific crimes with impunity, but it also receives a platform on the world stage to legitimize gross human rights violations through ‘greenwashing’ and ethnic cleansing.”
Besides the numerous human rights violations conducted by Azerbaijan, the country can also be defined as a “petrostate”. Today, fossil fuels account for more than 90% of export earnings, 60% of government revenue and 35% of GDP. Therefore, it was seen as contradictory for the host of COP to be so reliant on fossil fuels. Moreover, many Western leaders, including those from the US, France, Germany, Russia, China, and India refused to attend the conference, possibly in protest against Azerbaijan’s authoritarian regime and its recent military actions in Nagorno-Karabakh.
