The climate emergency is a direct consequence of carbon-heavy land-use and agriculture, transport, buildings and industrial processes and polluting energy sources. Without profound changes to these sectors and a drastic cut to carbon footprints, there is little hope of protecting the planet from the devastating effects of a warmer world.
This live feed will keep you up-to-date with all the latest news from the United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) taking place in Baku, Azerbaijan.
06 Dec
2024
13:16
Landmark climate change hearings represent largest ever case before UN world court
Image: FAO/Felipe Rodríguez
A record number of oral statements are expected to be presented to the International Court of Justice. The hearings broadly concern the obligations of States with respect to climate change and the legal consequences of these obligations. They are significant because they represent the international community’s efforts to come up with a legal framework for addressing climate change.
More simply put, the court is being asked to provide clarity on international law with respect to climate change. The legal advice it provides may in turn influence any multilateral processes involving climate action.
The Clean Cooking with Agricultural Residues webinar will explore the benefits and challenges when using agricultural residues as fuel for clean cooking. It will present good examples of innovative and sustainable solutions of cooking from agricultural residues in Malawi and Sierra Leone, and address programs supporting access to clean cooking solutions and the use of sustainable cooking fuels.
Creating access to clean cooking is essential for climate action and was underscored at the recent high-level summit on clean cooking for Africa, organized by the IEA in May 2024. Charcoal and firewood remain major contributors to deforestation and account for 60-80% of black carbon emissions across Africa, driving substantial net carbon emissions. Using briquettes and pellets from agricultural residues as fuel can offer a sustainable alternative that protects forest ecosystems, supports local businesses, and improves the health of women and children.
To achieve the SDG7 target for universal access to affordable, reliable, and modern energy services, it is essential to place biomass-based and lower-tier cooking technologies within the broader context of the clean energy transition.
Register to join the webinar on 3 December at 1 pm EAT.
29 Nov
2024
13:25
COP29 finance deal welcomed, but much work remains
At a somewhat fractious UN Climate Conference (COP29) dominated by finance, the final agreement in Baku, Azerbaijan saw developed countries pledge to “take the lead” in raising US$300 billion annually for developing countries by 2035.
This is up from the US$100 billion a year that was pledged in 2009. It was also agreed that developed countries would “secure efforts” to scale up finance to developing countries from public and private sources to US$1.3 trillion a year by 2035.
UNEP Head: COP29 a foundation, but much work to be done
Credit: UNEP
UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen has called for "more transparent, inclusive progress on finance, on mitigation and on adaptation." Speaking after the end of COP29, which saw developed countries pledge to deliver US$300 billion annually to developing countries by 2035.
"COP29 has now secured a foundation on which we must now rapidly build. However, we must be clear, ambition and promises are only as good as the action and delivery that backs them up. We therefore need to see more transparent, inclusive progress on finance, on mitigation and on adaptation.
Andersen also highlighted the importance of the upcoming NDC deadline in February next year.
"All member states must now stretch ambition to ensure we can live up to the 1.5°C promise. The NDC plans can unleash a wave of resilient economic growth, new jobs and address cost of living challenges," she said.
22 Nov
2024
18:33
COP31 hosts will not be decided until June 2025 at earliest
UN Climate Change/Kamran Guliyev
In what is probably an overlooked section of the draft texts released earlier today, the decision on who will host COP31 in 2026 won't be decided until June next year at the earliest.
Both Turkey and Australia - co-hosting with one or more Pacific island nations - want to host the event, but neither is willing to withdraw their candidacy.
Of the 29 COPs, six have been held in the southern hemisphere and 23 in the northern hemisphere.
22 Nov
2024
14:06
New draft text: developed countries should pay US$250 billion annually by 2035
UN Climate Change/Simon Stiell
The new draft texts have just been released by the COP29 Presidency, and the key takeaway is that developing countries should receive US$250 billion per year by 2035 for climate action. This is to come from "a wide variety of sources, public and private, bilateral and multilateral, including alternative sources."
While it also "calls for a finance target of US$1.3 trillion by 2035, it also "invites developing countries to make additional contributions".
These figures will see lots of back and forth over the rest of the day, but at least there are figures to work with now. How developing countries will react to this text remains to be seen however.
22 Nov
2024
13:26
Landmark environmental report aims to provide solutions to interlinked crises
Hundreds of scientists from around the world are in the midst of drafting a landmark report to help government leaders and other decision makers counter some of the world’s most acute environmental ills.
The Global Environmental Outlook 7 (GEO-7), will provide a comprehensive overview of the latest environmental research and provide decision makers with a roadmap for addressing the triple planetary crisis of climate change, nature and biodiversity loss including desertification and pollution and waste. Read more about the report.
22 Nov
2024
12:48
EU releases transparency report, highlighting importance of open reporting
Pexels/Pixabay
The European Union released its first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) this morning, highlighting the importance of transparency in achieving the Paris Agreement goals.
The EU’s BTR revealed a 37 per cent drop in net greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, with a potential pathway to a 90 per cent net greenhouse gas emissions reduction by 2040.
Transparency is a key component of the Paris Agreement. Countries submit their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) - their plans on how they will reduce emissions – every five years, with the next round of NDCs due in February 2025. As part of this, most countries are expected to submit their first Biennial Transparency Report (BTR) this month.
BTRs are progress reports that provide information on national emissions levels and mitigation efforts as well as adaptation measures. They provide a snapshot of progress in achieving the NDCs goals. For more information on why transparency matters, check out this handy video:
22 Nov
2024
11:47
Talks still deadlocked as negotiators urged to bridge gaps
UN Climate Change/Kiara Worth
Talks are still deadlocked in Baku on a number of issues, particularly climate finance – with disagreement about how much developing countries should receive annually by 2030 and where that money should come from.
Developing countries want US$1.3 trillion a year, but the draft text released yesterday had just an “X” where a figure should be, illustrating how far apart negotiators are.
The EU has said it wants more money to come from the private sector, while developing countries want the money to come in the form of grants, not loans.
About 80 of the most vulnerable countries represented by ministers from the Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean put forward a plan yesterday. It included a proposal to finalise a deal on grant-based public money and agree on roadmap to COP29 in Brazil on which sources could bridge the gap to $1.3 trillion.
They said redirecting fossil fuel subsidies and other sources of public finance towards climate action could be a solution, as could levies on aviation and shipping as well as taxes on wealth and major polluters.
The COP29 Presidency has said it will aim to release a new draft of texts later today with a view to sending out the final text later this evening, although no one in Baku is expecting COP29 to finish this evening.
22 Nov
2024
08:45
UNEP head: Nature-based solutions crucial to climate goals
UNEP
Nature-based Solutions are key to solving the interlinked crises we now face. That was the message from UNEP’s Executive Director, Inger Andersen at the Global Leaders Dialogue at COP29 yesterday.
She highlighted how Nature-based Solutions help to:
“Cut greenhouse gas emissions and increase adaptation to climate impacts under the Paris Agreement. That halt and reverse biodiversity loss under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. That meet land degradation neutrality goals under the UN Convention to Combat Desertification. That deliver on the SDGs and more.”
Andersen also highlighted how these solutions are not just good for the climate, for nature and for people, but also good for business.
“Much of the global economy is dependent on nature and its services. UNEP recognizes this by supporting Nature-based Solutions and Ecosystem-based Adaptation through nearly 90 global projects, restoring 324,000 hectares and benefiting 3.5 million people.”
