2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference
![]() | |
Native name | Birləşmiş Millətlər Təşkilatının İqlim Dəyişikliyi Konfransı (2024) |
---|---|
Date | 11–22 November |
Location | Baku, Azerbaijan |
Organised by | Azerbaijan |
Participants | UNFCCC member countries |
President | Mukhtar Babayev |
Previous event | ← Dubai 2023 |
Next event | → Belém 2025 |
Website | cop29.com |
The 2024 United Nations Climate Change Conference or Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC, more commonly known as COP29, will be the 29th United Nations Climate Change conference. COP29 will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan from 11 to 22 November, 2024.[1] Mukhtar Babayev will preside COP29, while Samir Nuriyev heads the Organising Committee.[2][3]
Background
[edit]Azerbaijan signed the Paris Agreement—an agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)—on April 22, 2016. It was ratified on January 9, 2017, and entered into force on February 8, 2017, roughly a month later. In 2018, oikos Baku—a student-led organization—organized model COP23.5, an extended version of Model UN for UNFCCC to train climate change leaders in Azerbaijan.[4] More than 30 delegates attended and represented different countries in the deliberation process of COP23.5.
In December 2023, Azerbaijan was announced as the host of the conference. In January 2024, Mukhtar Babayev was appointed as COP29 president.[5]
At the Bonn Climate Change Conference in June 2024, progress was made on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) and adaptation indicators for COP29.[6] However, limited progress was achieved on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, with unresolved issues surrounding carbon credit systems and emission avoidance. The groundwork for implementing Article 6 was laid, with COP29 lead negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev emphasizing its importance for the upcoming negotiations in Baku.[7] UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell stressed the need for further work to address these issues before COP29.[8]
In July 2024, Azerbaijan introduced the Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF) in Baku, seeking $1 billion in annual contributions from fossil fuel-producing countries and companies. The fund will invest in renewable energy and support climate projects in developing countries, with half of its resources aimed at meeting members' NDCs for the 1.5 degree Celsius target. Twenty percent of revenues will go to a Rapid Response Funding Facility (2R2F) for disaster support. Profits will be reinvested, excluding profit-taking by private investors or governments.[9][10]
COP29 Presidency
[edit]The Presidency of COP29 is headed by Mukhtar Babayev, who is currently serving as Ecology and Natural Resources of Azerbaijan, Babayev previously worked as the SOCAR’s Vice President for ecology.[11] Other members of the COP29 Presidency Team include Yalchin Rafiyev as the lead negotiator; Elnur Soltanov as Chief Executive Officer; and Narmin Jarchalova as the Chair of the COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company and Chief Operating Officer. Nigar Arpadarai is the Climate Change High-Level Champion, and Leyla Hasanova is the Youth Climate Champion.[12]
COP29 Organising Committee
[edit]The Organising Committee for COP29 was established by an order of the President of Azerbaijan on January 13, 2024. The committee's composition was subsequently expanded on January 19 and February 22, 2024. Chaired by Samir Nuriyev, Head of the Presidential Administration of Azerbaijan, the committee comprises 56 members, including ministers, members of the National Assembly, and other heads of state authorities.[13]
Objectives of the conference
[edit]COP29 aims to limit global warming to 1.5°C, emphasizing the urgent need for investment in climate action. The approach involves boosting ambition through national plans and transparency while driving action with effective financing to reduce emissions and address climate impacts.[14]
The COP29 Presidency stresses the importance of operationalizing the Loss and Damage Fund to support vulnerable communities, particularly in Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs). It calls for enhanced Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) in line with 1.5°C targets and urges the submission of NDCs by 2025, with a focus on phasing out fossil fuels, increasing renewable energy, and addressing non-CO2 emissions such as methane. On adaptation, the Presidency calls for all countries to have National Adaptation Plans (NAPs) by 2025 and emphasizes the need for scaling up adaptation finance. In addition, COP29 encourages global financial institutions and the private sector to increase climate finance and foster investment in green innovation. The summit aims to provide platforms to mobilize business participation and enhance transparency in investment decisions to support climate action.[15]
Energy transition initiatives
[edit]According to the US government's International Trade Administration, oil and gas production comprise half of Azerbaijan's GDP and 92.5% of its export revenue in 2022.[16] However, the country is transitioning to renewable energy and has outlined significant plans to expand wind and solar power. A new interconnector is planned to transport this low-carbon energy to Eastern Europe, passing beneath the Black Sea to link with Bulgaria, Hungary, and Romania.[17]
Azerbaijan has set ambitious targets, including a 35% greenhouse gas emission reduction by 2030 and 40% by 2050. Energy and agriculture are key sectors where efforts are being concentrated, with an emphasis on increasing the use of renewable energy and eco-friendly technologies. The cooperation with the European Union has supported Azerbaijan's initiatives to align its policies with EU standards, particularly in energy efficiency.[18]
Criticism
[edit]The organizing committee originally consisted of 28 men. After criticism voiced by Christiana Figueres, the Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, and others, another two men and eleven women were added to the panel.[19][20]
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo announced that she would not attend COP29 in Baku, citing the involvement of the Azerbaijani government in the ethnic cleansing of Armenians in the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region in September 2023.[21]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "UN Climate Change Conference Baku - November 2024". UNFCCC. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Gayle, Damien (2024-01-05). "Oil industry veteran to lead next round of Cop climate change summit". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-05.
- ^ McGrath, Matt (2024-01-05). "Climate change: Former oil executive Mukhtar Babayev to lead COP29 talks in Azerbaijan". BBC. Retrieved 2024-01-06.
- ^ "oikos Baku COP23.5 announced". oikos International. 2018-05-02. Retrieved 2024-02-27.
- ^ Babayev, Mukhtar (2024-03-12). "As Cop29 president, I will build bridges between the diverging north and south to keep 1.5C in reach". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
- ^ "June Climate Meetings Take Modest Steps Forward; Steep Mountain Still to Climb Ahead of COP29". UNFCCC. 2024-06-13. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Further groundwork for Article 6 Paris Agreement laid at Bonn Climate Change Conference". White & Case LLP. 2024-07-01. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "The NCQG: What is it and why does it matter?". World Economic Forum. 2024-07-17. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ Harvey, Fiona (2024-07-20). "Cop29 host Azerbaijan seeks $1bn from fossil fuel producers for climate fund". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "COP29 host Azerbaijan launches climate fund, introduces fossil fuel levy". Business Standard. 2024-07-20. Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ Lo, Joe (2024-01-04). "Azerbaijan appoint state oil company veteran as Cop29 president". Climate Home News. Retrieved 2024-05-11.
- ^ "The COP29 Presidency Team". Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ "COP29 Organising Committee". Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ "Framework for Action". Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ "Letter to Parties and Constituencies". Retrieved 2024-09-09.
- ^ Harvey, Fiona; Greenfield, Patrick; and Carrington, Damian (2023-12-09). "Azerbaijan chosen to host Cop29 after fraught negotiations". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ Harvey, Fiona (2024-05-17). "Cop29 at a crossroads in Azerbaijan with focus on climate finance". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ "Azerbaijan - EU4Climate". Retrieved 2024-09-05.
- ^ Hughes, Rebecca Ann (2024-01-17). "Azerbaijan's COP29 committee comprises 28 men and no women". Euro News. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ Carrington, Damian (2024-01-19). "Women added to Cop29 climate summit committee after backlash". The Guardian. Retrieved 2024-01-19.
- ^ Ghazanchyan, Siranush (2024-03-21). "Paris Mayor says will not attend COP29 in Baku". Public Radio of Armenia.
External links
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)