Azernews.Az

by Akbar Novruz and Nazrin Abdul

As COP29 in Baku reaches its final hours, the atmosphere is charged with emotions, ranging from cautious optimism to outright disappointment. Delegates from around the world have shared their unfiltered views on the state of negotiations, particularly on the contentious issue of climate finance.

Azernews presents the coverage:

Chris Tallentire, an Australian delegate, commended Azerbaijan’s efforts in hosting the conference and emphasized the event’s significance. "COP29 has been a big success in bringing together people who are anxious and keen to see action on climate change. We’re waiting for the negotiations to come to the crunch point and get some good results. I know some are skeptical, but I think there’s still hope," he remarked.

Jake Schmidt from the NRDC foresaw the possibility of extended discussions. "It’s going to come down to the wire. There’s no way it’s going to get done today. We’ve got a long way to go on this climate finance target," he said, emphasizing the complexities of reaching a consensus.

Professor Mizan Khan, representing the LDC group, expressed his dissatisfaction with the current financial commitments. "We are not happy with the latest text on NCQG. The proposed $250 billion falls short of expectations. At least $400 to $500 billion is needed annually for climate financing, especially for adaptation in LDCs. This is now a matter for high-level negotiations, and we hope they make the right decision," he said.

Riyaz Hamidullah, Bangladesh’s Additional Foreign Secretary for Multilateral Affairs, reflected on the broader context. "We came here with a lot of expectations, not only in terms of finance but also regarding other targets. Right now, we are far from achieving those. But we are keeping our fingers crossed, hoping for a good package from Baku to carry forward to Belem," he noted.

Observer Sonia Basinia Kwami, from 350.org, voiced their disappointment in stark terms: "The $250 billion proposed is abysmal. We need $1.3 trillion, and that’s an old figure. This isn’t a favor; it’s a debt owed by the Global North for their emissions. If they can raise $2.3 trillion for wars, then $1.3 trillion for climate action should be nothing. A real commitment is urgently needed," they said.

Dr. Wafa Misrel, Africa Campaigns and Policy Lead, did not hold back her critique of the negotiations. "This is a big disrespect to our continent and our people, who are losing their lives and loved ones. We can’t accept this—it’s more than the worst we expected," she declared.

From the given answers we can say that the opinions collide with each other. As this year's crucial climate conference host, Azerbaijan has successfully executed her desire, and commitment for climate change, and rightfully will continue its fight against climate change. As the final decisions lie with high-level representatives and ministers, the world watches to see if COP29 will deliver on its promises or leave critical climate issues unresolved. From now on it's up to rich countries to decide if we are tackling this ongoing issue after three decades.