The Baku Breakthrough

The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was held this year in Baku, Azerbaijan from November 11-22. However, it was mired in controversy from day one as it provoked widespread outcry because of its choice of host country, Azerbaijan that depends heavily on oil industry to sustain its economy. Yet, despite such controversy, a major breakthrough called ‘the Baku breakthrough’ was made in the climate summit in which an annual pledge of 300 billion USD as climate adaption fund was agreed upon for developing nations by 2035. 

Overall, COP29 called for climate change action and by November 22, numerous talks and meetings were carried out between world leaders on the issues of climate change. However, even the COP couldn’t escape Trump mania as world leaders and participants were preoccupied with the repercussions of another four years of Trump presidency in the White House. Trump is known to be pro-oil and throughout his political career, he has been a vocal advocate for increasing domestic oil and gas production, rolling back environmental protections and encouraging fossil fuel-centred energy policies. On his first term of presidency, he revoked United States from the Paris Agreement. Speculations are now rife over Trump’s probable policies on climate change in his second presidential term. 

Globally, energy sector is dominated by fossil fuels such as oil, coal and natural gas which account for the majority of the energy production. While renewable energy such as wind, solar and hydroelectric power are being tapped to decrease the continuing dependency on non-renewable energy sources, a major global support is required for an ultimate transition from non-renewable to renewable energy sources. And it goes without saying that the rich and developed countries are the largest consumer of non-renewable energy. Their share in natural gas and petroleum production has been a driving force in the climate change crisis. 

2024 was calamitous as numerous natural disasters unleashed worldwide. In Spain, hundreds of people lost their lives due to flash floods in the month of October. Hurricanes lashed in Florida, USA and Latin America. Closer to home in Nepal, the capital city, Kathmandu was inundated in an unprecedented flash flood in September. Sadly, however there has been a tendency of forgetting the consequences of the disaster in a few months of the events. It is quite discouraging that each year as the mercury breaks its records and the climate related disasters rage over the world there are public outcries which seem to fall on deaf ears of governments and organisations. 

Meanwhile, displaced population is left without a home due to climate change that doesn’t abide by borders.  What humans are doing to their home, the planet earth is in a deplorable situation as the depletion of natural resources, addition of pollution and environmental degradation continue. Climate summits such as COP have become quite essential to prod world leaders into making climate effective decisions but such decisions have to translate into deeds too. 

Instead of lofty ambitions that only look good on paper, there has to be both short-term and long-term goals that can be implemented efficiently. On a positive message, COP29 made some rather important and decisive pledges which are going to greatly benefit vulnerable nations towards climate adaptation.