The host of the COP29 summit urged governments to start compromising to break a deadlock over how to help poorer countries tackle global warming.
The upcoming UN climate summit, scheduled to be held in gas-rich Azerbaijan this November, aims to reach a consensus on the financial contributions wealthy nations should provide to developing countries to help them tackle climate change. However, negotiations have hit a stalemate.
Poorer nations, despite being the least responsible for carbon emissions, bear the brunt of the consequences of global warming. This disparity has intensified calls for substantial financial support from richer countries, which have historically contributed more to greenhouse gas emissions.
The host of the UN climate summit emphasized the importance of compromise and collaboration to address this critical issue and achieve meaningful progress at COP29.
On July 17, In a letter written to the roughly 200 nations that have signed up to the UN’s Paris Agreement – the world’s main climate pact – COP29 president Mukhtar Babayev lamented the absence of “necessary progress”.
“We clearly need a rapid increase in the pace of our work,” wrote Mr Babayev, a government minister and former executive at Azerbaijan’s national oil company.
“Time lost is lives, livelihoods and the planet lost,” he added.
“We call on all parties to increase the pace of their work and move on from their early negotiating positions.”
Babayev’s appeal comes as the world faces the hottest year on record and as extreme heatwaves, floods and wildfires batter communities around the globe.
To break the ice, as reported, Azerbaijan will host the negotiating teams for an informal two-day retreat starting July 26.