Day nine at COP29 saw a mix of political drama, progress in key areas, and ongoing frustrations over funding.
Argentina’s Controversial Moves
Argentina garnered attention during the first week of COP by withdrawing its delegation after three days, leading to speculation that the country might leave the Paris Agreement altogether. President Javier Milei’s controversial leadership, downplaying climate concerns, added fuel to these rumours. However, Argentina’s foreign minister, Gerardo Werthein, has since clarified that the country is staying in the agreement while reassessing its commitments.
Focus on Food Systems
One positive outcome of Day 9 was progress in transforming global food systems. An alliance of countries, including Brazil, Norway, and Sierra Leone, highlighted achievements since launching their initiative at COP28.
The alliance also welcomed Tanzania as its newest member and called for more global funding for food system reforms, pointing out that while agriculture contributes significantly to greenhouse gas emissions, it receives only a fraction of climate finance.
The Funding Gap
The issue of climate finance loomed large. Despite mounting urgency, wealthy nations have yet to pledge adequate funds to help vulnerable countries adapt to climate change. Criticism was directed at a proposed $200–300 billion funding goal from the EU, with some delegates calling it woefully insufficient. The Adaptation Fund, vital for countries hit hardest by climate change, remains far from its $300 million goal, highlighting the persistent gap between promises and action.
Developing countries stressed that the cost of inaction will far exceed the cost of investing in adaptation and mitigation now. With global adaptation needs projected to reach up to $366 billion annually by 2030, time is running out to bridge the gap.
Nature: The Missing Piece
Campaigners voiced concerns that nature-based solutions, such as reforestation and protecting oceans, have not received enough attention at COP29. These ecosystems play a crucial role in absorbing emissions and mitigating climate impacts, but they remain on the sidelines in much of the conference’s discussions.
Financing Resilient Cities
Resilient cities took centre stage, with leaders emphasizing the need for $3.5 trillion in investment to ensure urban areas can withstand climate challenges. Key recommendations included:
Public-private partnerships to fund scalable solutions.
Nature-based strategies to create jobs, improve air quality, and enhance urban resilience.
Addressing cross-sector challenges in areas like transportation, housing, and public health to ensure holistic progress.
Cities are at the forefront of climate impacts, but they also hold immense potential for innovation and sustainable development.
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As negotiators prepare to release draft agreements on finance, emissions reductions, and climate protection measures, the clock is ticking. The presidency has promised shorter, more focused texts, avoiding broad political statements in favour of formal commitments.
However, with no major funding pledges yet and tensions high over adaptation finance, the path to meaningful progress remains uncertain.
All eyes are now on the final days of COP29 to see if global leaders can rise to the challenge and deliver the transformative solutions the world desperately needs.
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