We Delivered-Lets Go to Work-Let us Rise Together; Big-wigs Speak out at the Opening of COP 29

By Earnest Kivumbi Benjamin

BAKU- AZERBAIJAN- Updated at 03:10 GMT+4 on Tuesday 12th November 2024

Strong statements on Monday emerged from Baku Stadium during the opening of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change- UNFCC COP 29. Thousands of delegates including Heads of State, Ambassadors, Civil Societies, Academia, Observers, Climate actors and others are conve to review and negotiate the planet’s future when climate change threatens life.

In his opening remarks, outgoing COPE 28 President, Dr. Al Jaber from the United Arab Emirates the first-ever CEO in COP history said; acknowledged the world was meeting at a time of “complexity and conflict”.

“Against this backdrop, allow me to say that we, in the UAE, will always choose partnership over polarisation, dialogue over division, and peace over provocation,” he said.

We cannot leave Baku without a substantial outcome. It is here that parties need to agree a way out of this mess

He said he had been “humbled” by the opportunity of leading the Cop talks in Dubai that resulted in the historic decision to “transition away” from fossil fuels.

“To all the negotiators here today, I thank you for showing the world what real, tangible progress looks like,” he said, referring to the deal known the “UAE Consensus”.

The crunch summit in Azerbaijan, a major fossil-fuel producer, is being called the “finance Cop”. This year, countries will need to agree on a new goal to replace the previous $100 billion a year pledged by developed countries to help developing nations adapt to and mitigate climate change – known as the “new collective quantified goal”. It is thought, however, that trillions could be needed.

Dr Al Jaber said the “critical success factor” was finance. “At this Cop, the finance Cop, I urge all parties to deliver a new collective quantified goal that is robust and capable of fully implementing the UAE Consensus.”

The task ahead is urgent, with a major report released by the UN last month warning the 1.5°C goal was slipping out of reach, with the world instead heading for more than 3ºC.

A finance deal at Cop29 “must provide the means to implement the UAE Consensus. The quantum we agree on should meet the size of the challenge”, Dr Al Jaber said. He said delegates in Baku did not need to “reinvent the wheel” but “follow through on what we all signed up to” at Cop28.

“As we gather against a backdrop of continuing geopolitical conflict, let us again find common cause across every pillar of the climate agenda. What we delivered in Dubai, we must build on here in Baku. Let us once again unite, act and deliver.”

Dr Al Jaber said the troika was important in this respect. “The troika is mobilising every multilateral platform, from the UN to the G20, to solidify the legacy of the UAE Consensus,” he said.

“It is the road map for keeping 1.5ºC within reach and in line with the science. My dear friend Mukhtar, as I pass the gavel to you … I want you to know that you have my friendship, my partnership and my full support,” said Dr Al Jaber, handing over to Mr Babayev.

“Let positivity prevail and let it power the process. Let actions speak louder than words. Let results outlast the rhetoric. And remember … we are what we do, not what we say.

“On behalf of myself and the Cop28 team … it has been an honour to serve. I have faith that Cop29, here in Azerbaijan, will be another great success.”

The COPE 28 President commended UNFCC Executive Secretary for serving. he called for determination to conquer doubt. “History will judge us by action not words, let positivity prevail, let results out last, let actions speak louder than words. We are what we do not what we speak” he said “WE DELIVERED”

The baton was passed to Cop29 President Mukhtar Babayev, Azerbaijan’s Ecology and Natural Resources Minister, who previously worked for the state oil company Socar.

In his first speech as Cop29 President, Mr. Babayev said 3ºC of warming would be “catastrophic”. He acknowledged how climate change was hitting Azerbaijan, with the Caspian Sea “shrinking” and glacier retreat and freshwater loss in the Caucasus.

Mr Babayev highlighted how adaptation – helping countries adjust to climate change effects – needed more attention. But he said “much more” was needed from all parties to clinch a deal at the summit.

And the presidency’s top priority was agreeing on the new financial goal. “We must invest today to save tomorrow,” he said.

Highlighting the severe consequences of natural disasters linked to climate change, like the floods in Spain, forest fires in Australia, bareness in East Africa, and rising temperatures of oceans to Pacific, ABabayev emphasized: “We are aware of all the political and financial constraints that may arise. However, I believe the investments will pay off.” He said people needed more than prayers and paperwork after seeing their suffering in recent global tours.

The Cop Presidencies Troika – an initiative with the Cop28, Cop29 and Cop30 presidencies – aims to build bridges between the summits to ensure commitments are followed through such as raising ambition on the NDCs and the vital 1.5ºC target.

Mr Babayev said keeping the 1.5ºC goal included the need to transition from fossil fuels. Burning fossil fuels is the primary driver of climate change.

It also comes as temperatures continue to be broken, with 2024 expected to be the hottest on record.

If temperatures increase by more than the 1.5ºC warming target, scientists say the lives and livelihoods of people across the world would be in danger.

His plans are to enhance ambition, and action with adaptation and mitigation calling for public scrutiny and transparency. He ended his remarks with “Let’s GO TO WORK.”

Simon Stiell, executive secretary of UN Climate Change, also addressed the opening session, outlining why reaching a deal at Cop29 was so crucial. Simon said “LET US RISE TOHETHER.

COP29 opening “UN Climate Change copyrighted photos

FULL REMARKS OF UNFCC BOSS

Excellencies, Delegates, Colleagues,  

It is an honor to welcome you to COP29.   

I thank Dr. Sultan Al Jaber and the Emirati Presidency for their tireless work, as they pass the baton to President Babayev and Azerbaijan, who I must congratulate for the excellent facilities we find ourselves in.  

In tough times, up against difficult tasks, I don’t go in for hopes and dreams.

What inspires me is human ingenuity and determination. Our ability to get knocked down and to get up again over and over again, until we accomplish our goals.

The lady I’m standing with, in the picture, is my neighbour, Florence, in Carriacou. In July this year, this was us, standing in all that remained of her home.

At 85, Florence has become one of the millions of victims of runaway climate change this year alone.  

She was focused on one thing: Being strong for her family and for her community.  

There are people like Florence in every country on Earth. Knocked down, and getting back up again.

This UNFCCC process is the only place we have to address the rampant climate crisis, and to credibly hold each other to account to act on it.

And we know our process is working. Without it, humanity would be headed towards five degrees of global warming.

In these halls, we negotiate on specific pieces of the puzzle each year. It can feel far away from what’s happening in Florence’s living room. But we cannot afford to continue up-ending lives and livelihoods in every nation – so let’s make this real:

Do you want your grocery and energy bills to go up even more?

Do you want your country to become economically uncompetitive?

Do you really want even further global instability, costing precious life?

This crisis is affecting every single individual in the world in one way or another.

And I’m as frustrated as anyone that one single COP can’t deliver the full transformation that every nation needs. But if any of your answers to those questions was no, then it is here that Parties need to agree a way out of this mess.

That’s why here in Baku, we must agree a new global climate finance goal.  

If at least two thirds of the world’s nations cannot afford to cut emissions quickly, then every nation pays a brutal price. 

If nations can’t build resilience into supply chains, the entire global economy will be brought to its knees. No country is immune.

So, let’s dispense with any idea that climate finance is charity. An ambitious new climate finance goal is entirely in the self-interest of every nation, including the largest and wealthiest.

But it’s not enough to just agree a goal. We must work harder to reform the global financial system. Giving countries the fiscal space they so desperately need. 

And here in Baku, we must get international carbon markets up and running, by finalizing Article 6.  

We need to move forward on mitigation, so targets from Dubai are realized.

We mustn’t let 1.5 slip out of reach. And even as temperatures rise, the implementation of our agreements must claw them back.

Clean energy and infrastructure investment will reach two trillion dollars in 2024. Almost twice that of fossil fuels.

The shift to clean-energy and climate-resilience will not be stopped. Our job is to accelerate this and make sure its huge benefits are shared by all countries and all peoples.

We must agree adaptation indicators. You can’t manage what you don’t measure. We need to know if we’re on a pathway to increasing resilience.

And we must continue to improve the new mechanisms for financial and technical support on loss and damage. 

We can’t make decisions in the dark. Biennial Transparency Reports, due this year, will give us a clearer picture of the progress we’re making, and the gaps that need to be filled.

Next year, all countries will deliver their third generation of national climate plans – NDCs.   

To support countries in creating and communicating them, the UNFCCC will launch a Climate Plan Campaign.

It will mobilize action from all stakeholders, and align with the efforts of the UN Secretary-General and the incoming Brazilian COP Presidency.

In parallel, we’ll re-start Climate Weeks from 2025. Aligning them more closely with our process and the outcomes it must deliver. 

At the Secretariat, we will continue to work tirelessly with what we have got, while being clear on what funding we need, so we can deliver on what’s increasingly being asked of us.

In the past few years, we’ve taken some historic steps forward. We cannot leave Baku without a substantial outcome. Appreciating the importance of this moment, Parties need to act accordingly.

Show determination and ingenuity here at COP29 – We need all Parties to push for agreement right from the start – To stand and deliver.

Now is the time to show that global cooperation is not down for the count. It’s rising to this moment. So let’s rise here together.

I thank you.

COP 29 Continues for the next 11 days and HICGI News Agency will be bringing your updates.

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