Bill H.’s Post

Check your inbox! Our final issue of COP29 Dispatch covers the outcome of the negotiations. Here are the key takeaways for U.S. policymakers: 🌍 The final package of decisions coming out of COP29 is called the Baku Climate Unity Pact. 🌍 The final decision on the new collective quantified goal (NCQG) landed on two numbers. The new climate finance goal for developed countries to deliver for developing countries is $300 billion per year by 2035. Globally, countries committed to working towards $1.3 trillion in climate finance per year by 2035. 🌍 President Biden released a statement to the press, celebrating “another historic outcome” at COP29. 🌍 Small island states and least developed countries, among others, expressed anger and disappointment at what they felt was an unfair, insufficient outcome. We look forward to bringing you daily updates from COP30 next year in Belém, Brazil! #COP29 #COP29Azerbaijan #Baku #UnitedNations #ClimateDiplomacy

🌍 As COP29 begins in Baku, it’s hard to ignore the list of world leaders opting out. Some, like those with serious health issues, may have valid reasons. But others, like President Biden (due to U.S. elections) and the Dutch PM (domestic concerns), seem to have shifted priorities. PNG’s foreign minister, Justin Tkatchenko, was refreshingly candid, calling COP a “waste of time” for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) like his own. He's probably right. I know, I’m not alone in feeling this way. Many activists, advocates, and experts who work daily on climate action have shared similar concerns for years. Many of which may find themselves in Baku, because this just happens to be the process we have on climate action. Sure, we need negotiations! We need continued agreement and raised ambition! But it's worth AGAIN questioning the value of these large climate events. With countless climate-related gatherings each year, from NYC’s Climate Week to energy summits, are we spreading efforts too thin? And now, does COP still hold the same essential role? To be fair, COP has achieved some progress. Would we even have the Paris Agreement without it? Every step matters, even if small. But, do we need such a massive event to achieve incremental gains? Imagine if the resources spent on these conventions went directly to on-the-ground action. Could we finally meet the $100 billion annual funding goal? And what will we even achieve this year as most countries still struggle with implementation of the Paris Agreement and their NDCs. Perhaps the absence of some world leaders suggests they secretly share PNG’s sentiment. While I remain a believer in the importance of global dialogue on the world's greatest challenge, it’s time to rethink how big and frequent these conventions need to be. Now good luck to all those who are there the next two weeks (and those who have already been there for a week + 😉) working tirelessly to achieve just a tiny bit. #COP29 #ClimateAction #RealProgress (picture from one of my favorite field visits since I don't have one from Baku).

COP29, the ‘finance COP’, begins next week – what is it? Why is it so important? And how can you get involved? COP29 is just around the corner, taking place in Azerbaijan from the 11th to the 22nd November. Although it has run into some controversy due to the political climate of the host nation as well as the business interests of the head organiser and the majority of the organising committee. It seems again the COP is being used as a form of greenwashing. From finance to nationally determined contributions, there are potential wins that could surprise us this COP. Lizzie discusses the lead up and the prospects in great detail on our website: https://lnkd.in/e9amZemy Article written by Elizabeth Rose Be Curious! Ask yourself if you could get involved in local actions demanding bold plans for global climate finance and justice this COP and beyond? Read this excellent in depth summary of what to expect from COP29.https://https://lnkd.in/enspHFzZ Watch live streamed talks and recorded side events direct from COP29 to keep up with the action. https://unfccc.int/cop29 Learn from Friends of the Earth’s new Money Movers scheme about how you can use your personal finance, such as your pension, to help finance a global just transition! https://lnkd.in/eSX6qWxV #CuriousEarth #BeCurious #COP29 #ClimateFinance #NDCs #Greenwashing #Azerbaijan #NoNewOilandGas #SOCAR

#Crunchtime: As the clock ticks at #COP29, negotiators are under immense pressure to come into an agreement on a whole range of issues, including the New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG), Global Stocktake, Mitigation. This COP has been a total disappointment, members of civil society are angry. In a press conference, Gerry Arances, from the Centre for Energy, Ecology and Development in Philippines 🇵🇭 said “It’s an insult that text on transition away from Namath Chowdhary from 350.org said “rich countries have not showed responsibility for the climate disaster they have caused” The atmosphere is tense, activists from developing countries are saying, better have no deal than a watered down resolution. Some key statements from civil society include: - = > No petro-countries should be allowed to host COP meetings, alluding to the fact that Azerbaijan is a oil producing country; => It’s unacceptable that there is no Clear reference to transitioning away from #fossilfuels => The proposed amount of $250 billion from developed countries is unacceptable. More especially the fact that amount includes all forms of financing. Developing countries want #climatefinance in the form of grants, not loans! => Parties should not agree to deal that is watered down, rather have no deal at all. => Civil society members felt that COP did not create enough spaces for civil society to engage in the negotiations.

🌍 Why was COP29 a major disappointment and why this should matter to you? #COP29 was the 29th Conference of the Parties: an international conference with representatives from all the countries, which happens every year to agree on how to tackle #climatechange. So what went wrong at COP29? A lot. 1️⃣ The meeting was held in Azerbaijan, a country heavily invested in fossil fuels, with plans to expand gas production by a third over the next decade. 2️⃣ A record-breaking 1'773 fossil fuel lobbyists attended, more than the delegates from the 10 most climate-vulnerable nations combined. 3️⃣ The COP29 president called Oil and Gas a 'gift of God', and the COP CEO was found negotiating behind doors with the fossil fuel lobbyists.   4️⃣ After 29 years of negotiations, the phase-out of fossil fuels still hasn’t been included in any agreement. Seriously? 🤯 It’s giving me serious "Don’t Look Up" vibes. 5️⃣ Wealthy nations agreed to triple their contributions to a climate fund for climate-vulnerable developing countries: $300 billion annually. But that’s far from the $1.3 trillion requested and desperately needed by these countries for renewable energy and climate resilience. 6️⃣ As if all that wasn’t enough, fossil fuel companies are now suing environmental organizations like Greenpeace for speaking out against oil and gas. 🚨 This isn’t just disappointing, it’s dangerous! Every year of inaction brings us closer to irreversible damage. Let’s demand better from our leaders! 👉 Share this post to keep the conversation alive, and check out the article I’ve linked below for more on COP29’s takeaways: https://lnkd.in/gqXMkaRD #ClimateCrisis #COP29 #ActNow #Sustainability #ClimateAction

🙄“It’s been another shady, oil-stained #Cop,” declared leading #climate scientist Friederike Otto – a view that would be echoed by many negotiators, diplomats and civil society groups. Many were shocked by the president of host country Azerbaijan telling the summit oil and gas were “a gift from God”. The Azeri presidency, in leading negotiations, avoided mentioning fossil fuels at all costs. It was caught trying to make oil-deals on the side and more than 1,700 fossil fuel lobbyists were welcomed to Baku. It is easy to forget “there are many lives and livelihoods at stake, and people other than those bought by oil are fighting for real progress, and for all of us”, Otto added. She hoped that at Cop30 in Brazil next year those voices will get amplified more and that urgently needed acceleration of the transition away from fossil fuels can happen for a safer, more equal world." "Having experienced horrendous extreme weather events over the past year, hundreds of millions of people across the planet sense their normal climate is changing, perhaps never to return to the stability of the past.In the face of that threat, and what the science is saying, one can only conclude the global response of governments and policymakers – Ireland included – is inadequate and far too slow in delivering known solutions – and #Cop29 is yet another indication of that collective failure." Wisely said Kevin O'Sullivan - we cannot wait for another COP or for our governments, policymakers and bureaucrats to bring about the transformation we need to survive - they have had 30 years. We, the people, need to repair, restore and regenerate everything that we can for life to survive on this precious planet. In the words of the Hopi Elders; "We are the ones we've been waiting for. We need to employ the wisdom of our Elders and the enthusiasm of the youth."  The time for action is now. https://lnkd.in/epcSFg_S

It’s a big day as #COP29 begins in Baku, Azerbaijan. For a country that relies almost entirely on fossil fuels, how did they become the host of this years’ COP? According to the #UNFCCC, the “host country of the COP normally rotates among five United Nations regional groups”. COP29 was scheduled to be hosted by the Eastern European group which includes many former Soviet states. However, Russia blocked any country that has condemned its invasion of Ukraine, leaving Armenia and Azerbaijan as the only options. Initially, these two countries blocked each other's bids due to their longstanding conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh (an Armenian-backed enclave), but a Russian-brokered deal led Armenia to withdraw its opposition. As a result, Azerbaijan secured the bid, preparing quickly for the summit with limited time. #Azerbaijan is not necessarily known as a leader in the #greentransition as nearly all of their exports are in fossil fuels with western Europe using up much of their gas. So while Azerbaijan may seem an unusual host with its oil and gas production, perhaps it’s a great example of why and where we need to focus our attention when tackling the climate crisis. So what can we expect to come out of COP29? With the upcoming deadline for nations to provide their updated plans to reduce GHG emissions by February 2025, much is at stake. The current voluntary commitments are not on track to keep global heating from surpassing 1.5°C. Azerbaijan has set an agenda that would hopefully drive ambition: 1. Reduce emissions and increase green energy - COP29 leadership has committed to renewable energy initiatives like global energy storage, hydrogen development, and methane reduction, but its lack of focus on phasing out fossil fuels has raised concerns about possible backsliding, especially in gas-dependent Azerbaijan. 2. Building climate resilience - The COP29 presidency is promoting initiatives to support climate-resilient agriculture, protect water basins and ecosystems, improve human development for climate resilience, and strengthen urban climate resilience through a Multisectoral Actions Pathways Declaration. 3. New climate finance targets - Nations will discuss the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) to replace the $100 billion annual climate finance target, with experts estimating developing countries will need $1 trillion annually by 2025 and $2.4 trillion by 2030. The results of the US election, and other elections around the world, raises concerns towards continuing progress. Are leaders empowered to invest more into climate action?

#StopCOPSystem #CheatingUNbackedSystem #ParasiticPublicFunds With no surprise , for normal intellectually given. and moderately informed people, the COP " summits" no longer fit for purpose! This was evidence, if purpose was saving the planet with summits which are in the end only useful for thousands of officials who have been paying high salaries, with full benefits, luxury hotels, restaurants and business/first class international flight and many gifts from the naughty , but welcome indeed, lobbyists. What a life! Being paid so well for dissertation about idyllic, fantastic purposes of saving the planet (not necessarily the humans, which are part of the problems, or the problem itself , to fight) knowing in full consciousness they don't produce any positive solutions (often the opposite). Since there are no solutions to a "not really existing" problem but a fake one : saving the planet! From CO2 , from plastics , from fossils, from Nuclear (even if now again friendly!!) from everything related to the human presence in nature! But the most important thing is to clarify the most reasonable purpose. Real purposes of these "outstanding" UN summits , as many others UN backed organisations , are to preserve the benefits of thousands of officials and unsuccessful politicians which need, to exist, to drain billions of public funds producing tonnages of papers for the garbage bins. World Fiscal justice, net zero CO2, zéro pollutions, zéro plastics, zero fossils energies... and other magic formula adopted to create a phantastic vocabulary, are just a mirror for transferring billions of USD (on no matter the currency) to feed these empty boxes organisations. They are in the end the biggest and legal way for laundering money in the form of beneficial activity...for whom!? If this is the purpose, as I believe it is in accordance with my humble finding , COP summits can be legitimately fit it ! Therefore let us stop the COP with immediate effect , we will save thousands on billions for a real better life! https://lnkd.in/eHWKCDuE

Developed countries increased their initial $250bn (£199bn) a year offer to $300bn – was that in exchange for getting a recommitment to last year’s pledge to "transition away from fossil fuels"? But in January it was revealed Azerbaijan is planning on expanding production of natural gas - a fossil fuel - over the next decade, and on Tuesday President Ilham Aliyev told the COP29 climate conference that oil and gas are a "gift of god". “COP29 - which was meant to be an open and inclusive platform for climate action - is shaping up to be anything but,” a close friend of Mr Mammadli, Bashir Suleymanli, told the BBC. “Civil society groups that should be playing a crucial role in holding governments accountable have been sidelined or repressed,” he said. COP29 hosts accused of detaining climate defenders The Azerbaijani government is using COP29 to crack down on environmental activists and other political opponents, according to human rights groups. This is the third year in a row a country hosting the climate summit has been accused of oppression and curtailing the legal right to protest. Climate Action Network, a group of nearly 2,000 climate groups, told BBC News the protection of civil society is crucial if countries want to see progress on climate change. Climate change: Former oil executive Mukhtar Babayev to lead COP29 talks in Azerbaijan For the second year in a row, a minister with vast experience of the oil industry will be in charge of global climate negotiations. Azerbaijan has named Mukhtar Babayev as the president-designate of the COP29 talks in Baku next November. Mr Babayev spent decades working at the national oil company before becoming environment minister in 2018. why have oil people running COPs as oil use is running charge of climate change as surely these leaders with vested interests and power systems in place are diametrically opposed to this.... if so..who is really in charge of this .is COP merely a camouflage for others interested in destroying our climate and in so doing our humanity and its very existance. not to mention all other life forms on our tiny planet also. if so is this greed or insanity.or many other forces as maybe oil is the runner for all money suppies and so government taxes etc and the power systems and structures in place worldwide are wrong and maybe they are against humanity and our very survival..it is in the thinking...... and wisdom is needed urgently to overthrow these powers and bring sanity and common sense and new money systems and means of economic controls. in jesus name

Developed countries increased their initial $250bn (£199bn) a year offer to $300bn – was that in exchange for getting a recommitment to last year’s pledge to "transition away from fossil fuels"? But in January it was revealed Azerbaijan is planning on expanding production of natural gas - a fossil fuel - over the next decade, and on Tuesday President Ilham Aliyev told the COP29 climate conference that oil and gas are a "gift of god". “COP29 - which was meant to be an open and inclusive platform for climate action - is shaping up to be anything but,” a close friend of Mr Mammadli, Bashir Suleymanli, told the BBC. “Civil society groups that should be playing a crucial role in holding governments accountable have been sidelined or repressed,” he said. COP29 hosts accused of detaining climate defenders The Azerbaijani government is using COP29 to crack down on environmental activists and other political opponents, according to human rights groups. This is the third year in a row a country hosting the climate summit has been accused of oppression and curtailing the legal right to protest. Climate Action Network, a group of nearly 2,000 climate groups, told BBC News the protection of civil society is crucial if countries want to see progress on climate change. Climate change: Former oil executive Mukhtar Babayev to lead COP29 talks in Azerbaijan For the second year in a row, a minister with vast experience of the oil industry will be in charge of global climate negotiations. Azerbaijan has named Mukhtar Babayev as the president-designate of the COP29 talks in Baku next November. Mr Babayev spent decades working at the national oil company before becoming environment minister in 2018. why have oil people running COPs as oil use is running charge of climate change as surely these leaders with vested interests and power systems in place are diametrically opposed to this.... if so..who is really in charge of this .is COP merely a camouflage for others interested in destroying our climate and in so doing our humanity and its very existance. not to mention all other life forms on our tiny planet also. if so is this greed or insanity.or many other forces as maybe oil is the runner for all money suppies and so government taxes etc and the power systems and structures in place worldwide are wrong and maybe they are against humanity and our very survival..it is in the thinking...... and wisdom is needed urgently to overthrow these powers and bring sanity and common sense and new money systems and means of economic controls. in jesus name All reactions: 1 1