Major Climate Conference Begins in Azerbaijan, Missing Key Leaders

The United Nations climate change conference, COP29, begins in Baku, Azerbaijan, amid concerns about the hottest year on record and the urgent need to address climate change.

• The COP29 conference in Baku, Azerbaijan will address the critical need for coordinated global action to combat climate change amid rising temperatures and geopolitical challenges.
• Key topics of discussion at COP29 include climate finance, carbon emissions markets, and the submission of updated national targets for reducing emissions.
• The reelection of Donald Trump and the absence of key leaders at the conference raise concerns about the potential impact on meaningful climate action, while some developing countries express frustration with past inaction.

Key topics include setting new goals for climate finance and finalizing plans for carbon emissions markets. The absence of key leaders, including the U.S., India, and Japan, due to political changes and military conflicts, raises uncertainty about the conference’s outcome.

Developing countries, feeling marginalized, are skeptical about the conference’s effectiveness despite the pressing need for action.

The world must agree on a new climate finance goal to replace the previous $100 billion annual target, which was only met in 2022, two years late. This delay eroded trust between richer and poorer nations, who now demand more support to transition to a low-carbon future and address the escalating impacts of climate change.

The post-2025 funding goal, expected to be a key outcome of COP29, may reach $1 trillion annually, with funds split between emissions cuts, adaptation, and disaster relief, though a UN report found that developing nations will require $2.4 trillion per year by 2030.