Professor Dr. Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, dean of Faculty of Science at Stamford University Bangladesh and chairman of Center for Atmospheric Pollution Studies (CAPS); has believed that the UN COP29 climate conference held in Baku of Azerbaijan has once again given rise to disappointment.
Professor Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, who joined the world summit, made his observation with The Bangladesh Post in a write-up titled ‘COP29 Climate Conference: Expectations vs. Reality.’
The expert on environment writes climate conferences are always mired in disagreements and challenges. The COP29 conference was no exception.
Although 85,000 representatives from 200 countries participated in the conference, which began on November 11, the deadline for the conference to end passed on Friday, no consensus could be reached.
The draft proposal on the climate fund has been criticized at the last minute and rejected by the affected countries.
Although this year's COP29 is called the "Finance COP", the sincerity of rich countries in allocating the necessary funds for developing countries is questionable. Discussions are underway on the New Collective Quantitative Goals (NCQG).
conflict over how much responsibility rich countries will take. Experts have proposed setting a target of $ 1 trillion per year by 2030 and $ 1.3 trillion by 2035.
However, the draft agreement proposed by Azerbaijan only allocates $250 billion per year, which is not enough for developing countries. While representatives from Australia and other countries have discussed the issue, questions have been raised about the approach of major greenhouse gas emitters such as China.
While the UN conference is important for developing countries, global greenhouse gas emissions have not yet been significantly reduced. In the meantime, the world is heading towards a 1.5-degree Celsius temperature increase, which is having a serious impact on biodiversity, livelihoods and human life.
In addition, the large presence of fossil fuel lobbyists and limited initiatives from rich countries are hampering progress at the climate conference.
Solar and wind power are playing a significant role in global energy investment. However, fossil fuel lobbying by countries like Saudi Arabia and the ambiguity of the financing framework are creating obstacles to implementing the main goals of the climate conference.
Although various media outlets have raised demands for discussions on nuclear power at COP29, such discussions have not actually taken place. However, although 31 countries worldwide have pledged to triple their nuclear power by 2050, more emphasis is being placed on renewable energy.
According to the COP28 agreement, investment in renewable energy must be tripled by 2030. However, in reality, progress in investment in both renewable and nuclear energy is very slow.
Australia and Turkey continue to be at odds over the hosting of COP31. While Australia and Pacific nations have argued for the southern hemisphere to host the conference after a decade, Turkey is still in the running.
Representatives from Pacific nations, from the Taliban to Israel and Palestine, were in attendance.
The Ukrainian pavilion highlighted the environmental damage caused by Russia’s aggression, including $71 billion in damage and the burning of 900 square kilometers of forest.
Ukraine’s message was consistent: it is determined to tackle the climate crisis despite the Russian aggression. The failure of COP29 has prompted calls for the global South to unite in a call for climate justice. But real change may have to wait until COP30 in Belém, Brazil.
However, progress has been made under Article 6 in some areas, including the global carbon market framework.
In addition, several countries have submitted their NDCs and biennial transparency reports. Uncertainty remains over whether world leaders will be able to reach a meaningful agreement on climate finance on the final day of the conference.
The main objective of the conference—progress on finance, adaptation, and mitigation—has stalled significantly. This could negatively impact the ability to take effective action to address the global climate crisis.
Syeda Rizwana Hasan, Adviser on Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change in Bangladesh, has called for the rejection of the draft New Joint Quantitative Target (NCQG) fund at the end of the COP29 conference.
Speaking at the conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, she said that the proposed allocation of $250 billion per year is completely inadequate to meet the urgent needs of the least developed countries (LDCs) and small island developing states (SIDS).
She expressed deep disappointment that there is no specific allocation framework and that it is not considered a grant. In particular, the lack of separate funding for the 45 most vulnerable LDCs is a cause for significant concern.
The Adviser added that the package is unlikely to be effective and needs to be revised. Developing countries need an ambitious and equitable climate finance framework to address the growing climate risks, which prioritizes the needs of vulnerable communities.
Although climate finance was discussed extensively at COP29, it failed to commit sufficient funds to meet the challenges. According to the advisor, the current package is not providing effective support to countries like LDCs and SIDS in resolving their crises, but is making them more helpless.
"Non-economic loss and damage" (L&D) is a key issue in global climate policymaking. Diversity in agriculture and food production is disappearing due to climate change. Traditional crops like wild rice varieties or hill maize are disappearing. Indigenous communities in Brazil are being forced to change their rituals due to the extinction of plants in the Amazon forest. Similarly, reproductive problems for women in coastal areas of Bangladesh are increasing, which is a silent effect of climate change. Moreover, the migration of people and wildlife due to cyclones, droughts, or river erosion has increased. This is not only causing economic but also cultural losses. Conflicts are being created by not being able to adapt to the new environment. More research and global initiatives are needed to understand the importance of "non-economic L&D" in climate-crisis-hit countries like Bangladesh.
