Climate Conference in November to emphasis ‘Peace and Truce’

The annual climate conference to be held here in November 11, will lay particular stress on “Peace” and “Truce” to enable countries to focus on climate solution amid ongoing conflicts. The 2024 UN Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC COP 29) will convene in November 2024 in Baku, Azerbaijan.

About COP 29

This event will include the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 29), the 19th meeting of the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Kyoto Protocol (CMP 19), and the sixth meeting of the COP serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Paris Agreement (CMA 6) that will convene to complete the first enhanced transparency framework and the new collective quantified goal on finance, among other matters. The 61st sessions of the Subsidiary Body for Scientific and Technological Advice (SBSTA 61) and the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI 61) will also meet.

• The COP Presidencies Troika indicated it intends to host a series of high-level political convenings to assess barriers to NDC development, including meetings during the Germany-hosted 15th Petersberg Climate Dialogue, the 60th sessions of the UNFCCC Subsidiary Bodies (SBs), the 79 session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), and a special session at the opening of the 29th session of the Conference Parties to the UNFCCC (COP 29).
• These meetings will discuss the “quantity and quality of support needed” to ensure NDCs, the next round of which is due in 2025, can deliver just climate transitions aligned with the 1.5°C goal. The Presidencies will also work with “key thematic and political platforms” such as the Group of 20 (G20), “to channel existing knowledge and resources towards ambitious NDC development”.

Brief Intro About Azerbaijan

Technically in Azerbaijan, it was inhabited by ethnic Armenians, who claimed it as an independent territory following the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991. Its independence was recognised neither by Azerbaijan nor Armenia.

• President Ayilev announced in September 2023 that Azerbaijan had successfully “reclaimed” the territory following a military occupation.
• Azerbaijan as a petro-state is almost entirely dependent on oil and gas exports for its economy and does not yet have a firm plan for transitioning away from fossil fuel.

Criticism

A long-standing criticism and a matter of deep division between developed and developing countries is that a 2009 commitment by developed countries to mobilise $100 billion a year between 2020 and 2025 for developing countries has only been partially realised. A major item that is expected to be firmed up in 2024 is to decide a new annual target above $100 billion and agreement on whether these will be in the form of grants or loans.

• However, deliberating on all these would require an atmosphere of peace. Geopolitically the world is in a Cold War-like situation,”.
• “The world is divided but Azerbaijan’s position is that the climate issue is something different. Countries can be on different sides on geopolitical matters but climate affects everybody and needs an inclusive process. So, Azerbaijan is  proposing a COP-truce. During the COP [meet], all cannons should stop.