CarboNetZero Ltd’s Post

Cop summits ‘no longer fit for purpose’, say leading climate policy experts https://lnkd.in/d7tnbNxP A group of influential climate policy experts has called for future UN climate summits to be held in countries that support climate action and have stricter rules on fossil fuel lobbying. The group has written to the UN demanding a streamlined process of annual "conferences of the parties" under the UN framework convention on climate change, the parent treaty of the Paris agreement. The focus of Cop29 is to supply enough cash to poor countries to help them cut greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the impacts of climate-driven extreme weather. The group believes that developed countries should provide a third of the funding by 2030, while most of the rest should come from the private sector. Some countries are also looking for new sources of finance to plug the gaps, such as charging cryptocurrencies, charging plastics production levies, a 2% wealth tax, or taxing frequent flyers and business class airline tickets.

Time to Rethink Climate Summits? The COP29 in Baku has ignited important conversations, not just about climate finance and emission cuts, but also about where and how we hold these summits. Despite 28 COPs to date, we’re still seeing rapid climate change. During COP1, global temperatures were only 0.4°C above pre-industrial levels. Today, they’ve soared, underscoring the urgent need for real action over prolonged negotiations. Leading voices like Ban Ki-moon and Mary Robinson are now questioning the effectiveness of the current COP structure. They’re calling for stricter criteria for host countries and a shift from negotiation to focused implementation. With fossil fuel lobbyists often outnumbering vulnerable communities, we need a fairer, more inclusive process. This is about climate justice, fiscal accountability, and ensuring that those most affected by climate change have a real voice. What are your thoughts? Is it time to evolve COP to make a real impact? #COP29 #ClimateChange #Sustainability #ClimateAction #GreenFinance https://lnkd.in/dBNA8ugv

Key figures in the climate movement, including former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres, and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, have published a letter suggesting that COPs (UN annual climate conferences) are "no longer fit for purpose." Their letter echoes my US elections post-mortem, where I argued that the climate movement struggles to break free from frameworks and playbooks—like COPs—that may work on paper but fail to drive real progress (you can read my thoughts here: https://lnkd.in/emB_kMSc). The letter’s signatories focus on place and process. They question the logic of holding these conferences in countries that lack clear support for climate action—such as Azerbaijan this year (#COP29)—and call for the process to be "streamlined, with meetings held more frequently and more voice given to developing countries." (https://lnkd.in/edFh3XGq) In my opinion, this critique doesn’t go far enough. COPs have devolved into climate theater, dominated by fossil fuel companies and their #lobbyists (1,773 coal, oil, and gas lobbyists have been granted access to COP29). This isn’t merely an issue of place or process - it underscores the irrelevance of the entire COP framework. Rather than fixing a broken model—one that’s increasingly out of step with the urgent need to close the gaps between the Paris Agreement goals and actual implementation (https://lnkd.in/eWgE4FvR), it is time to rethink COPs entirely. We need to mobilize new forces capable of resisting fossil fuel influence and charting a bold new course. It starts with acknowledging that the UN may no longer be the right platform for this mission. We must end the charade that is COP, not merely tweak it. The sooner, the better. #climatechange #climateaction #COP

COPs has historically been a disappointment for many Pacific Islanders who have sacrificed their time, resource and energy. But they continue to power on each year because if they don’t than who will, if the Pacific is not represented than how will big emitters know the devastating impact that the climate crisis has on our people. I’m blessed to be here reporting at COP29 once again, and before the opening much more is happening on the background. #COP29 #Pacific #ClimateJustice #FinanceCOP Please find below my pre-COP story.

To curtail the influence of Big Oil at UN climate talks, some leaders are calling for a conflict-of-interest policy. Would it work? "The fossil fuel industry and the petrostates have seized control of the COP process to an unhealthy degree," former U.S. vice president Al Gore observed during the recent UN Climate Change conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. In this feature story, journalist Naomi Buck delves into the complex question of whether fossil fuel interests can or should be excluded from COP, similar to how the World Health Organization barred the tobacco industry from public-health policy discussions in 2008. “They call into question the legitimacy of the entire conference. They are granted pavilions, they’re given official space for their greenwashing," says Harjeet Singh, global engagement director for the Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. Catherine Abreu, director of the International Climate Politics Hub at the European Climate Foundation, advocates for the conflict-of-interest policy, an idea that is gaining momentum and has been endorsed by the European commissioner for climate action. COP still has value, Abreu argues.  “It’s the only process that brings all countries together,” she says. “If we didn’t have this space, we’d have to create it. Is it perfect? No. We have to see what we can achieve through this process – and if it’s not functioning, how we can change it.” Read the fully story: https://lnkd.in/erfw-PXY

🌍 An Urgent Call for COP Reform 🌍 This open letter, signed by global leaders and climate experts, outlines the pressing need to rethink how COP summits function. After 28 years of negotiations, the reality is clear: - Emissions are still rising. - The 1.5°C threshold is slipping away. - Governments are making pledges, but implementation lags far behind. The letter raises important questions: - Is the current COP structure too focused on negotiation rather than action and accountability? - Can we continue to hold diplomatic events while lacking enforcement mechanisms? - How can climate financing be transparent and effective without burdening vulnerable nations with more debt? The proposals for reform are straightforward but bold: - Shift COPs toward implementation-driven formats. - Establish stricter eligibility for host countries that align with the Paris Agreement. - Strengthen scientific integration and transparent climate finance tracking. It’s not just about recognizing the urgency of climate action anymore. It’s about reshaping the systems that should already be delivering results. I think it's time for structural reform. Thoughts? EIIS - European Institute of Innovation for Sustainability Delawar Barekzai #ClimateAction #COPReform #Sustainability #ParisAgreement #GlobalGoals #Accountability

Good news on Day 1: #COP29 approves the creation on standards for #carboncredits under article 6.4 of the #ParisAgreement. “Parties reach consensus on standards for the creation of carbon credits under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, in sign of early momentum. COP29 President opens summit with plan to enhance ambition and enable action. COP29 will “test our commitment to the multilateral climate system” upon end of the first decade after the Paris Agreement. COP29 top negotiating priority is a new climate finance goal. Realistic goal for what the public sector can directly provide and mobilise seems to be in the “hundreds of billions”.” #leadonclimate

While the world holds its breath as the US presidential elections unfold, are you possibly a bit fuzzy about what's on the agenda in the upcoming COP29 climate talks in the next two weeks (November 11-22) in Baku, Azerbaijan, and why it matters, a lot? The Singapore Straits Times does a good job in this article giving the cliff notes version of why COP29 matters, from global climate finance, carbon markets, climate mitigation and adaptation, to the all-important nexus between climate and nature/biodiversity. Route17, KINETIK Australia-Indonesia Partnership for Climate, Renewable Energy and Infrastructure, Harald Walkate, Jewel Topsfield, Tom Coulter, Aarohi Vashishtha, David Nellor. #cop29 #climatefinance #carbonmarkets #mitigation #adaptation #climateandnature #biodiversity

Cop summits ‘no longer fit for purpose’, say leading climate policy experts Future UN conferences should only be held in countries that show support for climate action, urge influential group Future UN climate summits should be held only in countries that can show clear support for climate action and have stricter rules on fossil fuel lobbying, according to a group of influential climate policy experts. The group includes former UN secretary-gen eral Ban Ki-moon, the former president of Ireland Mary Robinson, the former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres and the prominent climate scientist Johan Rockström. They have written to the UN demanding the current complex process of annual “conferences of the parties” under the UN framework convention on climate change – the Paris agreement’s parent treaty – be streamlined, and meetings held more frequently, with more of a voice given to developing countries. “It is now clear that the Cop is no longer fit for purpose. We need a shift from negotiation to implementation,” they wrote. This year’s talks, known as Cop29, are nearing their halfway mark in Azerbaijan’s capital, Baku. Azerbaijan is a controversial host for the conference, as it is a major fossil fuel producer, with oil and gas making up half of its exports. Last year’s conference was also held in a petrostate, the United Arab Emirates, and the president of that edition, Sultan Al Jaber, kept his main job of heading the country’s national oil company, Adnoc. Before Cop29 opened, one of the key members of the Azerbaijan government’s organising team was filmed appearing to offer help striking fossil fuel deals. Azerbaijan’s president, Ilham Aliyev, also remarked at the opening ceremony that his country’s oil and gas were “a gift of God”. “We need strict eligibility criteria to exclude countries who do not support the phase-out/transition away from fossil energy. Host countries must demonstrate their high level of ambition to uphold the goals of the Paris agreement,” the group wrote. Figueres said: “At the last Cop, fossil fuel lobbyists outnumbered representatives of scientific institutions, Indigenous communities and vulnerable nations. We cannot hope to achieve a just transition without significant reforms to the Cop process that ensure fair representation of those most affected.” At least 1,773 coal, oil and gas lobbyists have been granted access to Cop29, according to data analysed by the Kick Big Polluters Out activist coalition. That is more than all but three countries (Azerbaijan, Brazil and Turkey), and considerably more than the 10 nations most vulnerable to the climate crisis, who have a combined 1,033 delegates. Al Gore, the former US vice-president, also took aim at fossil fuel influence at the conference, particularly from Azerbaijan. https://lnkd.in/gkuTx6G8

It’s the first day of #COP29 in Baku. The negotiations over the next 2 weeks are critical. Here are a few of the areas we’ll be watching closely - ⭐ There will be a heavy focus on international climate finance – discussions around both the expected figures needed as well as sources of potential financing globally. ⭐ National climate plans will also be an important focus. Countries that signed the Paris Agreement are required to submit a new round of NDCs (national determined contributions) early next year. ⭐ From a geopolitical perspective, all eyes will be on the US and the implications of the election + what this means for its evolving role as a global climate leader. ⭐ From a UK standpoint, it’ll also be interesting to look out for news coverage around Keir Starmer’s appearance. The government were elected on a mandate for stronger climate ambitions, but this is likely to be put to the test over the next few weeks. Following the news cycle can feel like an almost impossible challenge to keep up with evolving negotiations and announcements. Over the next few days, I’ll aim to share our favourite + most helpful media roundups. Today, I’ve found The Guardian Live Feed useful and I’d like to give a shout out to edie and their COP29 jargon buster. From making sense of the blue zone, the green zone and who on earth High-Level Climate Champions are, they’ve got it covered: