COP29: “Kafka lives” Agenda squabbles and absent leaders.“
“Weighed down by the results of the US election, COP29 commenced in Baku, Azerbaijan on Monday. Four things jump out at me on this, the 9th UN Climate Conference I have attended….”
fCOP29: “Kafka lives”
Agenda squabbles and absent leaders.
NOV 12
Hello!
We are delighted that THE CONDOR’s daily COP29 updates will occasionally include perspectives and links from veteran climate activist and COP-watcher Gary Payton¹. Here are his reflections on the opening of the conference:
Weighed down by the results of the US election, COP29 commenced in Baku, Azerbaijan on Monday. Four things jump out at me on this, the 9th UN Climate Conference I have attended or followed online closely:
The absence of key Presidents/Prime Ministers at the outset of the COP is significant. Historically, leadership presence sparks cooperation and progress toward achievements. In comparison to recent years, the no shows include Biden/Harris (US), Xi Jinping (PRC), Macron (France), Scholz (Germany), Modi (India), Lula (Brazil) and more.
Haggling for hours over the COP agenda on Day 1 suggested a growing frustration with the COP process at large and the leadership of the Azeri team coordinating the COP.
John Podesta, the US delegation head and the President's point person on climate (replacing the retired John Kerry), set the tone of US COP presence by acknowledging the "bitter disappointment" of the election and the U-turn in US national policy to come under a Trump Administration and then underscoring the key role states, cities, and business will play to sustain climate action in the country.
Despite the election, a host of US sub-national leaders will carry the message that while slowed, climate process will continue across the US. Gov Inslee (WA) and other Democratic governors, mayors, and NGOs like America Is All In will spread the word that action at the state and city level will produce climate results even as the federal government repudiates the climate work of the Biden administration.
RED ALERT
In his daily COP diplomacy round-up for November 11, Ed King of GSSCnotes:
One day in the not too distant future, folks may reflect on the sheer absurdity of day 1 at COP29. On a day when the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) sent a ‘red alert’ warning that 2024 would be the hottest year on record, envoys from nearly 200 countries spent the best part of a day in an ‘agenda fight’ debating to what extent UN climate talks should focus on accelerating fossil fuel cuts. Kafka lives.
BURNING QUESTIONS
Carbon Brief, one of the best climate-focused newsrooms in the world, is inviting you to quiz its expert climate journalists in Baku about all things COP29 on Friday.
It’s a little early (6am PT!) for folks on the West Coast, but if you tend to get up with the sparrows or live in a more conducive time zone, it should be a fascinating discussion.
From Carbon Brief:
As the first week of COP29 comes to a close, Carbon Brief will host an “ask-us-anything” webinar to explore the key emerging topics and themes at the climate summit.
Our team of expert journalists on the ground in Baku will be able to answer your questions about progress made and what to expect as the negotiations head into their second week.
Time: Friday 15 November, 14:00 (GMT) / 18:00 (Az) / 09:00 (EST) [06:00 (PT)]
Panellists:
Dr Simon Evans – deputy editor and senior policy editor
Daisy Dunne – associate editor
Josh Gabbatiss – policy correspondent
Wanyuan Song – China section editor
Aruna Chandrasekhar – land, food systems and nature journalist
Molly Lempriere – policy section editor
Questions for the speakers can be submitted in advance by email via webinar@carbonbrief.org
Please register in advance via the link below.
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Gary is team member emeritus of the Coalition of Sustainable Communities New Mexico. We were hugely honored by him anchoring our coverage of COP28 last year, and are delighted that he’ll be making cameo appearances on The Condor over the course of COP29. Thank you, Gary!