13 Nov, 2024

COP29 Co-Chairs Publish Draft Text On Climate Finance Goal During Third Day Of Conference

  • Co-Chairs publish draft text for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), described as workable basis for discussion.
  • President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev declares that Azerbaijan demonstrates “its unwavering support for small islands states” in address to delegates at Leaders’ Summit of the Small Island Developing States on Climate Change 
  • COP29 Presidency, WHO, Spain’s Secretary of State for Health and representatives of past and future COP Presidencies also focused on the role of health in the climate agenda 
 

Today at COP29, the co-chairs of the NCQG contact group published a first iteration of a draft decision text for the COP29 Presidency’s top negotiating priority – a new climate finance goal. The COP29 Presidency had encouraged the co-chairs to produce this draft as early as possible to guide conversations around potential landing zones and help to identify concerns. Parties welcomed the decision to transition to a draft text and, for the first time in the three-year technical process, described it as a workable basis for discussion.

 

Commenting on the publication, the COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev said, “This is a significant step but there are still many options to be resolved. We now want to hear everyone’s views and we will create spaces for them to provide their inputs throughout COP29. But the parties must remember that the clock is ticking and we only have 10 days left.” 

 

Support for Small Island Developing States (SIDS)

 

In attendance at COP29 for the second day in a row, President of the Republic of Azerbaijan H.E. Mr. Ilham Aliyev addressed delegates at the Leaders’ Summit of the Small Island Developing States on Climate Change.

 

The summit was initiated by the Republic of Azerbaijan and co-hosted in conjunction with Samoa, Chair of the Alliance of Small Island States; Grenada, Chair of Caribbean Community; and Tonga, Chair of Pacific Islands Forum. 

 

It provided a platform for leaders to come together and explore strategies to strengthen the resilience of SIDS against the impacts of climate change and enhance their access to climate finance, a priority of the COP29 Presidency.

 

In his address, President Aliyev emphasized that “the voices of SIDS must be heard on the global stage.” He called for developed countries “to provide tangible financial and technical support to small island states so that they can protect their countries from climate change” and that the importance of helping these states is “at the centre of Azerbaijan’s efforts at COP29.”

 

Speaking directly to the states, COP29 President Babayev commented: “The COP29 Presidency has been determined to make this an accessible conference that supports your participation and elevates your voices to the highest levels. 

 

“Small island states have shown remarkable leadership by setting ambitious targets despite limited resources and now others must match this commitment.”

 

The Baku Declaration on Amplifying SIDS’ Voice at COP29 for a Resilient and Sustainable Future was also adopted. The declaration acknowledges the scale and magnitude of climate change, its disproportionate effects on vulnerable groups and the need for urgent action. It also reaffirms that SIDS’ special circumstances make them particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change and how Azerbaijan has elevated the role of SIDS at COP29.

 

In support of SIDS, the COP29 Presidency and the Government of Azerbaijan financially supported the participation of relevant delegates at COP29 and preparatory meetings preceding the Conference. This support was in addition to assistance provided through the UNFCCC’s Trust Fund for Participation (TFP), to which the Government of Azerbaijan also pledged a contribution.

 

COP Presidencies Troika assembled to discuss a future of shared prosperity 

 

The COP Presidencies Troika, comprised of the United Arab Emirates (COP28), the Republic of Azerbaijan (COP29), and Brazil (COP30), met today to take stock of the “Roadmap to Mission 1.5.” The group discussed what progress has been made in implementing the Global Stocktake outcome and what gaps remain in developing and implementing ambitious climate policies in the next rounds of NDCs. The event strengthened the coherence across the COP Presidencies and set clear priorities and strategic actions needed for 2025 to build upon COP28, to implement COP29 outcomes, and to ultimately pave the way for a successful COP30. 

 

An address on early warnings  

 

COP29 President Babayev joined the Secretary-General of the United Nations António Guterres for a discussion on the progress made since the Secretary-General’s Call to Action on Extreme Heat on 25 July 2024 and the continued implementation of The Pillar Leads of the Early Warnings for All (EW4All) initiative, which aims to protect all humans from hazardous weather, water, or climate events through life-saving early warning systems by the end of 2027.

 

Speaking about early warning and climate information services, COP29 President Babayev stressed the importance of ensuring “no community is left without these life-saving measures.” Along with the Secretary-General, he emphasized the urgent need for enhanced international cooperation on this pressing issue. 

 

High-level engagement emphasises the importance of health

 

The day also placed a strong emphasis on health, with a high-level meeting featuring the COP29 Presidency, the WHO, Spain’s Secretary of State for Health, Mr. Javier Padilla Bernáldez, and representatives of the Presidencies of COP26 Glasgow, COP27 Sharm el-Sheikh, COP28 Dubai and COP30 Belem.

 

The meeting included discussion on how to formalise the role of health in the climate agenda, leverage the collective experiences of former COP Presidencies and ensure alignment and continuity across all health-focused initiatives. It also sought to establish health as a core feature of future COP conferences. 

 

This follows the agreement announced on the previous day between the WHO and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) regarding the operationalisation of the Health Impact Investment Platform (HIIP). 

 

Closing of World Leaders Climate Action Summit

 

Of the 70,000 registered delegates for COP29, 80 Heads of States, Governments and Vice Presidents attended the two-day World Leaders Climate Action Summit, which concluded today. Those in attendance made statements on how they are advancing the Paris Agreement on climate change, including remarks made today by Mr. John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the President for International Climate Policy for the United States and Her Excellency Ms. Giorgia Meloni, Prime Minister of Italy.

Other news

A Constructive Fortnight for the COP29 Presidency at the Bonn Climate Conference

The COP29 Presidency concluded a productive two weeks at the Bonn Climate Conference, laying the groundwork for COP30 and accelerating momentum for the Baku-to-Belém roadmap.   Despite initial deadlock over the adoption of the agenda, the COP29 Presidency undertook intensive consultations to bridge differences between Parties on a number of complex issues. These efforts culminated in the successful agreement of the SB62 agenda, enabling Parties to collaborate on critical mandates for the year.   Throughout the conference, the COP29 team engaged in a series of bilateral meetings and delivered keynote speeches at various events, in collaboration with government leaders, the private sector, and financial institutions. The Presidency also convened inclusive consultations with Parties and non-Party stakeholders to discuss the pathway to mobilising $1.3 trillion by 2035. In addition, a dialogue with Troika partners explored avenues to enhance ambition in the forthcoming cycle of national climate plans.   The Presidency also continued its work to back Brazil in making COP30 a success. This included a meeting between the COP29 Azerbaijan Operating Company team and their Brazilian counterparts to discuss preparations for COP30 in Belém.   Bonn served as an important platform for the COP29 Presidency to call on all countries to move decisively from commitment to implementation and submit ambitious plans that can give a green light to green investment.

03 Jul, 2025

Meeting of the Baku Continuity Coalition for Urban, Multilevel, and Multisectoral Climate Action

The Baku Continuity Coalition met on the margins of the second resumed session of the UN-Habitat Assembly on 28 May 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya.   Members of the Baku Continuity Coalition exchanged views and agreed on concrete actions, including:   Developments since the establishment of the Baku Continuity Coalition on 20 November 2024, within the framework of the Third Ministerial and Mayoral Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change at COP29: the chairing country of the Coalition, Azerbaijan (COP29 Presidency), informed participants that zero drafts of the Terms of Reference (ToRs) for the Baku Continuity Coalition and the Special Envoy for Urban Climate Action — both key elements of the COP29 Declaration on Multisectoral Action Pathways (MAP) to Resilient and Healthy Cities — have been elaborated; the briefing on the Baku Continuity Coalition was held on 14 April 2025 in Geneva, Switzerland; the side event on the Coalition and the MAP Declaration was organized on 22 April 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, within the framework of the 81st Session of UNESCAP; the meeting between the chairing country of the Coalition and representatives of the IPCC was also convened. Participants further discussed preparations for a Coalition briefing on the margins of the second resumed session of the UN-Habitat Assembly on 29 May 2025 in Nairobi, Kenya. Preparations for High-Level Meetings of the Baku Continuity Coalition within the framework of the COP30 and WUF13: it was agreed to organize the First Ministerial Meeting of the Baku Continuity Coalition in November 2025 in Belem, Brazil and its Second Ministerial Meeting within the framework of the WUF13 in May 2026 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Proposals for COP30 and WUF13: it was proposed to organize a joint pavilion by members of the Baku Continuity Coalition at both COP30 and WUF13; Additionally, participants suggested to align the title of one of the High-Level Roundtables of the Fourth Ministerial Meeting on Urbanization and Climate Change at the COP30 with the theme of WUF13: “Housing the World: Safe and Resilient Cities and Communities.”   At the end of the meeting, participants tentatively agreed to hold the next meeting of the Baku Continuity Coalition virtually at the end of June 2025.   The Secretary-General of ICLEI also attended the meeting.   Founding members of the Baku Continuity Coalition are: Egypt (COP27), the United Arab Emirates (COP28), Azerbaijan (COP29), Brazil (COP30), and the UN-Habitat Secretariat.

12 Jun, 2025

Roundtable on the operationalization of the COP29 Declaration on the establishment of the CAREC Partnership for Climate, Innovation and Trade (CPCIT)

The Roundtable on the CAREC Partnership for Climate, Innovation and Trade (CPCIT) was held on 21 May 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Sustainable Trade Forum.   At the Roundtable co-chaired by Lyaziza Sabyrova, Regional Head of Regional Cooperation and Integration, Central and West Department of the Asian Development Bank, and Elmar Mammadov, COP29 Action Agenda Team Co-Leader and Head of the Economic Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, CAREC countries discussed the operationalization of the COP29 Declaration on the establishment of the CPCIT, which was signed in Baku in November 2024, on the margins of COP29.   Participants exchanged views on concrete actions for the successful realization of CPCIT, including:   Development of productive capacity in CAREC countries *to produce innovative, exportable products  that support* the green transition, leveraging the region’s rich potential in critical minerals; Expansion of the trilateral strategic partnership, signed in November 2024 within the framework of the COP29 among three CAREC countries - Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan on the development and transmission of green energy; Potential cooperation on the establishment of Free Green Economic Zones in CAREC countries - an innovative solution aimed to attract climate FDIs that merges green energy zones with free economic zones, *as* proposed by the COP29 Baku Initiative on Climate Finance and Investment for Trade (BICFIT); Support of innovations through bringing together government officials, researchers and private sector for climate, innovation and trade dialogue within the framework of CPCIT in the CAREC region aimed to create new exportable innovative products for green transition;  Support for a Regional Fund of Funds to finance startup development in this field.   UNCTAD, WTO, and other stakeholders delivered presentations during the Roundtable. The event was attended by government officials, private sector representatives, international organizations and development partners. The 11 participating countries of the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program are: Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, China, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Mongolia, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

11 Jun, 2025