CHRISTIAN groups and representatives of developing countries have expressed disappointment with the outcome of the COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, which ended on Sunday, saying that countries in the global North had failed to commit to sufficient finance to support vulnerable nations.
The Baku deal centered on a pledge to provide $300 billion to developing countries by 2035, with a further goal of “mobilising” $1.3 trillion in private-sector funding to accelerate the expansion of renewable energy around the world.
The $300-billion figure is to be made up of some public grant-based finance, but could also include loans which would result in further debt on countries already facing high levels of debt distress. Factoring in inflation by 2035, the $300 billion may be valued less, in real terms, than the previous goal of $100 billion set in 2009 and delivered in 2022.
Matilde Angeltveit, climate policy adviser at Norwegian Church Aid, said: “Developed countries have been shamefully unwilling to listen to the science and commit to a needs-based climate finance goal. They have refused to talk openly about what they are willing to provide, jeopardising the Paris Agreement in order to avoid taking responsibility and paying their fair share.”
Illari Aragon, climate justice policy lead at Christian Aid, said: “After three years of negotiations, vulnerable nations are still left without the support they desperately need. This failure to deliver is a betrayal of climate justice and global solidarity.”
Albin HillertA placard reading “Missing ambition” is seen in front of the main conference slogan on Friday, when the COP29 talks were scheduled to finish
The talks were scheduled to finish on Friday evening, but, as in previous years, ran over, continuing through to the early hours of Sunday morning. There was tension when the Azeri COP President, Mukhtar Babayev, gaveled through the final result, despite opposition from India. COP meetings are supposed to end only when each nation has agreed to the final text.
The Indian delegation were furious that their objections had been ignored. Describing the outcome as “stage managed”, Chandni Raina, India’s economic affairs adviser, said: “I regret to say that this document is nothing more than an optical illusion. This, in our opinion, will not address the enormity of the challenge we all face. Therefore, we oppose the adoption of this document.”
Before the chaotic closing scenes, the Azeri hosts had been widely criticised for failing to support countries to deliver a better outcome. Brazil, the hosts of next year’s COP30, have a more established reputation as diplomatic operators.
On the issue of supporting women, who are disproportionately affected by climate change, the Lima Work Program was extended. The Vatican, along with Saudi Arabia, Iran and Russia had been criticised for stalling the talks.
Margareta Koltai, climate policy adviser at Act Church of Sweden, said: “Our expectation was a more ambitious and prescriptive gender programme document. Instead of getting to the next level, we had to defend earlier language to avoid an even more watered down version.
“It is clear that there is a gender pushback. There are actors, including faith actors, defending patriarchal values and blocking texts with more intersectional and rights-based language. This has made it evident that the ecumenical movement has a very important role to play in defending gender equality and pushing for a better gender balance at the decision-making tables. We must make sure that more than 50 per cent of the world’s population are not left behind in climate decisions.”
Despite what many see as a middling result, an agreement in the face of economic headwinds and political turbulence after the election of Donald Trump as US President, was seen by some as a positive reflection that the rest of the world remains committed to the multilateral process.
Albin HillertPatricia Mungcal from the Council of Churches in the Philippines rallies as members of the ACT Alliance perform a media stunt called “Stop Clowning Around” — calling for just climate finance — on Friday, when the COP29 talks were scheduled to finish
Alethia White, regional liaison for northern and central Europe at the Presbyterian Church USA, said: “The lack of real progress during the COP at a time when the planet feels fragile in so many ways signals lack of real care about the issues and the people experiencing the effects of climate damage.
“At the same time, any agreement is welcome and my respect goes to those governments and negotiators who show up, who stick with it, and who choose to look past disagreements and sit at the same table when it is difficult to do so.”
Liz Cronin, CAFOD’s Climate Change Policy Lead, said that the talks had “fallen completely flat. This was meant to be the ‘Finance COP’ where developed countries finally stepped up to meet their historic financial responsibilities. Instead, we saw familiar global North battlelines drawn and stuck to, with the usual suspects blocking real progress on grant-based, polluter-pays finance and on the phase-out of coal, oil, and gas.
“If we are to stand a chance of keeping to the 1.5°C target, countries must urgently deliver new and enhanced national climate plans that can get us there.”
Joe Ware is Senior Climate Journalist at Christian Aid.
Read more on this story in this week’s Leader comment