News and Insights
Day Five at COP29 – Peace, Relief, and Recovery
November 18, 2024
On the fifth day of COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, the spotlight turned to “Peace, Relief, and Recovery,” a theme that resonated against a backdrop of global conflict, displacement, and environmental crises. This poignant focus tied together the threads of climate justice, human suffering, and the urgent need for international collaboration.
Conflict and Climate – A Tangled Web
Opening discussions highlighted how climate change intensifies existing conflicts, with leaders such as Jordan’s Crown Prince Al Hussein bin Abdullah II drawing direct links between environmental degradation and war. “How can we work together for our shared future when some are deemed unworthy of life?” he asked, referencing the compounded struggles of nations like Jordan, which hosts vast numbers of refugees while grappling with water scarcity exacerbated by climate change.
Azerbaijan, the summit’s host, sought to position itself as a champion of peace, though its recent history in Nagorno-Karabakh casts a shadow. The country’s framing of COP29 as a “peace COP” aimed to signal hope and recovery, even as the global community deliberated contentious issues like climate finance and fossil fuel lobbying.
Finance and Friction
A defining moment of the day came with the release of a report stating that poorer nations require $1 trillion annually in climate finance by 2030—an accelerated timeline unlikely to gain consensus from wealthier nations. Yalchin Rafiyev, Azerbaijan’s lead negotiator, described the proposed text as “a workable basis for discussion for the first time in three years,” though scepticism remained. Taxing cryptocurrency and petroleum-based plastics emerged as potential funding sources, but the divide between ambition and political will was evident.
The inequities of representation were starkly visible, as fossil fuel lobbyists—numbering 1,773—overshadowed delegations from vulnerable nations. Activists condemned this imbalance, with Sarah McArthur of the UK Youth Climate Coalition calling it “a grotesque mismatch of priorities when the planet is at stake.”
Stories from the Frontlines
As policymakers debated, the devastating human cost of climate inaction became increasingly evident. In the Philippines, five typhoons in three weeks left millions displaced and infrastructure in ruins. Diana Moraleda, a resident of Tuguegaro City, described how successive storms devastated her home. “The carpenters are still fixing their own homes. It’s hard to find help,” she lamented. Meanwhile, Raffy Magno from Naga City spoke of his family’s shock as floodwaters destroyed nearly all their possessions. Such testimonies underscored the urgency of scaling up adaptation measures for those most vulnerable.
Critiques and Calls for Reform
Amid the high-stakes negotiations, influential voices questioned the COP process itself. Former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, alongside Mary Robinson and Christiana Figueres, advocated for a shift from negotiation to implementation. Their open letter proposed stricter fossil fuel lobbying rules and more frequent, action-oriented summits. Former US Vice President Al Gore also expressed frustration, accusing petrostates of wielding undue influence over COP29’s agenda. “The fossil fuel industry and petrostates have seized control of the process to an unhealthy degree,” he remarked.
Despite these criticisms, smaller nations and island states defended COP as a vital platform. Michai Robertson of the Alliance of Small Island States emphasised, “COP is the only major international forum where our voices carry equal weight with the richest nations.”
Glimmers of Progress
Not all was bleak. China announced significant strides in renewable energy, unveiling the world’s largest offshore solar farm. This innovation, integrating aquaculture with solar energy, offers a glimpse of how technology can address the dual challenges of energy transition and food security.
Similarly, the UN’s methane monitoring programme showcased tangible results. A decade-long gas leak in Algeria was sealed weeks after satellite notification, highlighting the power of technology to combat emissions. “We are quite literally talking about screwing bolts tighter,” said Inger Andersen, UNEP’s executive director, underscoring the simplicity of some solutions.
An Uneasy Optimism
The day ended with a mix of hope and disillusionment. Jennifer Granholm, the US Secretary for Energy, reassured delegates that the energy transition is unstoppable, regardless of political shifts in Washington. Meanwhile, voices like Vanuatu’s Flora Vano reminded the world of the existential stakes. “We are facing our whole survival here,” she said, as rising seas threaten to erase her homeland.
Day Five of COP29 encapsulated the complexities of global climate diplomacy—ambition tangled with inertia and humanity striving for solutions in the face of shared challenges. Still, the question remains: Can the world act swiftly and equitably enough to meet these challenges?
POSTED BY: Chris Nial
