What's happened
An open letter from prominent climate figures criticizes COP29's effectiveness, urging reforms to enhance accountability and reduce corporate influence. The letter highlights concerns over Azerbaijan's hosting of the summit amid its fossil fuel reliance and human rights issues, calling for a shift towards implementation-focused negotiations.
Why it matters
What the papers say
According to Andrew Freedman from Axios, the letter signed by climate veterans emphasizes that the current COP structure cannot deliver the necessary changes for a safe climate future. The Guardian highlights the dire warnings from climate experts about the potential consequences of failing to act decisively. Meanwhile, SBS reports on the need for equitable representation and the influence of corporate interests at COPs, with activists like Greta Thunberg boycotting the summit due to Azerbaijan's human rights abuses. The BBC notes that Azerbaijan's president defended fossil fuel production, raising concerns about the summit's effectiveness in addressing climate change.
How we got here
The COP climate summits have been criticized for their slow progress in addressing climate change. COP29, hosted in Azerbaijan, has faced scrutiny due to the country's fossil fuel dependence and human rights record, prompting calls for significant reforms to the summit's structure and processes.
More on these topics
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Azerbaijan, officially the Republic of Azerbaijan, is a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Eastern Europe and Western Asia, it is bounded by the Caspian Sea to the east, Russia to the north, Georgia to the northwest, A
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Ban Ki-moon is a South Korean politician and diplomat who served as the eighth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 2007 to December 2016.
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Karen Christiana Figueres Olsen is a Costa Rican diplomat who has led national, international and multilateral policy negotiations.
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The United Nations is an intergovernmental organization that aims to maintain international peace and security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be a centre for harmonizing the actions of nations.