Stockholm (NordSIP) – As the COP29 climate conference in Baku, Azerbaijan nears the end of its second and final week, the atmosphere among delegates appears to have soured in the face of a perceived lack of tangible progress.
Dialling up the new NDCs
Among the more positive events was a joint press conference convened today 21 November 2024 by the European Union (EU). European Commissioner for Climate Action Wopke Hoekstra joined representatives from Canada, Chile, Georgia, Mexico, Norway, and Switzerland in formally announcing their intention to submit updated nationally determined contributions (NDCs) that include the deep emission cuts across all sectors of their economies that are needed to achieve a 1.5-degree warming pathway.
Hoekstra expressed the hope that this joint reiteration of ambitious climate targets would help lead the way among developed nations: “The European Union and its Member States are standing alongside other ambitious partners from around the world to reassert our commitment to deliver Nationally Determined Contributions that are aligned with a 1.5°C pathway. We call on others, in particular other major economies, to raise their ambitions in their own NDCs, so that we deliver on the Paris Agreement,” he declared to the COP29 audience.
Today also saw the United Kingdom, Brazil and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) announce 2035 NDC targets that set a high bar for ambition. These countries aim to join the so-called GZERO countries of Bhutan, Madagascar, Panama, and Suriname that have already achieved net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. With the UAE ranked 65th out of 67 nations in the latest Climate Change Performance Index, it remains to be seen how swiftly these stated ambitions can be put into effect. Further positive news came from the Indonesian president, who announced that his country would aim to phase out all fossil fuel energy generation by 2040. This is particularly significant from a populous nation that is still heavily reliant on coal.
Saudis testing delegates’ patience
These welcome announcements have nevertheless been overshadowed by delegates’ increasingly vocal frustrations at the lack of ambition reflected in the COP29 draft joint statement, with many considering it to be no better than the wording of the COP28 UAE consensus. Among the criticisms is the fact that the COP29 statement fails to clearly reiterate the commitment to transition away from fossil fuels. Saudi Arabia has stated that it would not accept any statement that targets specific sectors such as fossil fuels. Free from the constraints of governmental diplomacy, ex-Canadian environment minister and current Chair of the UN High Level Expert Group on Net Zero Catherine McKenna turned to social media to express her anger: “I am so sick of Saudi Arabia’s opposition to any suggestion of a transition away from fossil fuels. We are in a fossil fuel climate crisis.”
Meanwhile, the Azerbaijani government appears to have blocked access to the www.cop29.com website, which had been commandeered by environmental campaign group Global Witness to publicise the alleged takeover of the UN climate negotiations by fossil fuel industry lobbyists. COP29 continues until Friday 22 November, although if the event follows the pattern of previous COPs the final negotiations are likely to overrun into the weekend. The conference programme is available on the official COP29 website and NordSIP will report on the final outcome in due course.
