Cipher News’ Post

“States today are ‘voluntarily forced’ to deal with the transition of their economies and to clean them of dirty technologies and excessive use of fossil fuels. The term ‘voluntarily forced’ best describes the situation in which countries are given the option of choosing whether to be on the green transition train or not, but if they are not, they will not be able to participate in new forms of cooperation and economy." It was my real pleasure to speak for Report.az about future #cop29 in #Azerbaijan 🇦🇿 who has made great steps 👣 in the past in achieving the #climate goals. We are looking forward to meet the next phase of #climateaction in #Baku #2024 https://lnkd.in/dmPA2zMn

The real 'nodding donkeys' to worry about at #COP29 will be delegates who accept the premise that you can 'shift focus' from #fossilfuel phase out... to mobilising #climatefinance, without recognising the relationship between them. Like Voldemort and Harry Potter, "one can't live while the other survives": - expanding fossil fuels renders the slim hopes for climate adaptation finance insurmountable by increasing vulnerabilities beyond breaking point. - investing in climate solutions will accelerate the transition, thereby stranding the dinosaurs of our fossil fuel history. Serious attempts to mobilise climate finance need to examine the key factors that make it a problem to raise today. That includes all levels of present-day and historical structural inequality, and all of the contributors to taking the problem beyond the tipping point (e.g. all flows of finance, contracts and and partnerships based on prolonging or extending environmental damage). And it means being smarter in how to design solutions that maximise co-benefits, contributing to resilience, nature restoration, emissions reduction and social wellbeing together. Not just gesturing for people to write cheques for business cases that are being structurally undermined. It is promising to see how Azerbaijan is starting to push forward with renewable energy transition, but reliance on fossil fuel export to prop up national spending is having (someone else's) cake and eating it. And there's slim chances for climate finance being mobilised into a cake that's been eaten. https://lnkd.in/e6C9iTVz

The #COP29 presidency has announced what it aims to achieve at the next #ClimateChange conference in Baku, Azerbaijan. Its flagship goal is to create a Climate Finance Action Fund (CFAF) made up of voluntary contributions from countries and companies producing #FossilFuels to finance climate mitigation, adaptation, research and development – and fund rapid responses to natural disasters in climate-vulnerable countries. Azerbaijan's agenda for the conference has been met with scepticism from the likes of Andreas Sieber of 350.org and Paul Polman, former CEO of Unilever, now a climate and peace activist. https://lnkd.in/e2Er6ruU #ChiefSustainabilityOfficer #ClimatePolicy #EnergyTransition

Kenya Leads Africa’s Push for $1.3 Trillion in Climate Finance at COP29 As the world gears up for the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, Kenya, in its role as Chair of the African Group of Negotiators (AGN), is… #AdenDuale #Africa #AMCEN #COP29 #Environment >>> Read more

Together with Mitzi Jonelle Tan I co-wrote for Reuters Context Newsroom this piece to reflect if the #COP28 decision to transition away from #fossilfuels is happening and what the recent moves by the USA to stop LNG Terminals and EUs climate law mean for the worlds energy transition. Rich nations must go first and faster, and while making some steps in the right direction are still plagued with substantial shortfall in their ambition. International agreements play a critical role, but we will need even more people power to win this. https://lnkd.in/eKBzAhFB

As the U.N. climate summit COP29 approaches, countries face a critical challenge: agreeing on a new annual financing target for 2025 and beyond to help developing nations fight climate change. Currently, wealthy nations have committed to providing $100 billion per year for climate finance. However, preliminary talks at the Bonn Climate Change Conference have not yielded breakthroughs, exposing divisions among major economies over funding responsibilities. The new funding target is essential to finance projects that reduce planet-warming emissions, including renewable energy and low-carbon transportation. Failure to reach an agreement could weaken global efforts to address climate change. You can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ezqXDxfW #thomaslloyd #renewableenergy #infrastructure #esg #netzero #asia #climatechange #sustainability #emergingmarkets #energytransition #electricity #biomass

Azerbaijan, the incoming Presidency of COP29, has announced a raft of new initiatives it hopes to establish this November at the UN climate conference. Some are creative, most are duplicative. They include: - The Baku Initiative for Climate Finance, Investment and Trade: a platform to connect various finance partners (in partnership with UNCTAD and UNDP) -A COP29 Hydrogen Declaration: calling on countries to scale up clean hydrogen production (in partnership with UNIDO) -A COP29 Green Energy Zones and Corridors Pledge: calling on countries to create centralized hubs for renewable energy (in partnership with UNIDO) -A COP29 Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge: calling on countries to increase renewable energy storage and strengthen green energy grids (in partnership with UNIDO) -The the Baku Harmoniya Climate Initiative for Farmers: strengthening investment for climate-resilient food systems (in partnership with FAO) -The COP29 Declaration on Reducing Methane from Organic Waste: complementing the Global Methane Pledge by setting sectoral targets for waste (in partnership with UNEP and CCAC) -A COP29 Green Digital Action Declaration: calling on partners to use digital tools to tackle climate change (in partnership with the ITU) -A COP29 Declaration on Enhanced Action in Tourism: "positioning tourism as a key component of climate solutions" -A COP29 Declaration on Water for Climate Action: calling on partners to implement water-related mitigation and adaptation measures in national climate policies (in partnership with UNEP, UNECE, and WMO) -The Baku Initiative on Human Development for Climate Resilience: promoting education, skills, health and well-being (in partnership with UNESCO and WHO) -The Baku Global Climate Transparency Platform: supporting developing countries to prepare their Biannual Transparency Reports under the Paris Agreement (in partnership with the UNFCCC) Hold on to your hats! https://cop29.az/en/news

It might seem long to go, but #COP29 is arriving soon, and one of the key topics will be the new proposal to levy fossil fuels to generate funds for climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts, particularly in vulnerable countries. Key Points of the Proposal: 🛢 Levy on Fossil Fuels: A proposed tax on fossil fuel extraction in wealthy OECD countries could raise $720 billion by the end of the decade. This tax would start at $5 per ton of carbon pollution and increase annually. 💰 Funding Allocation: About 80% of the collected funds would support the Loss and Damage Fund, aiding vulnerable nations impacted by climate-related disasters. The remaining funds would help with domestic climate transition efforts within the wealthiest nations. Benefits: 💹 Enhanced Climate Finance: This levy aims to address significant funding gaps, ensuring sufficient resources for climate adaptation and mitigation. 🤝 Promoting Accountability: By taxing fossil fuel companies, the proposal aligns financial responsibility with historical pollution levels, particularly in developed nations. 🛩 Accelerating Green Transition: The raised funds could expedite the global shift from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources, supporting international climate goals. As we approach COP29, it's crucial to consider how such measures can provide the necessary financial support to combat climate change and help vulnerable communities adapt to its impacts. Check for more details > https://lnkd.in/eVhUivaV #ClimateAction #COP29 #SustainableFinance #ClimateChange #GreenEnergy

As the dust settles after rigorous COP28 negotiations, the one-million-dollar question that activists are asking is whether decades of insufficient action at climate talks will in the future strengthen the call for a fossil fuel non-proliferation Treaty before the next COP in Azerbaijan. #NationClimate

In November, the European Union plans to push for stronger commitments to transition away from fossil fuels at the COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan. The EU draft emphasizes the need for new national climate pledges aligned with the 1.5°C target and aims to triple renewable energy capacity and double energy efficiency gains by 2030. The summit will focus on climate finance, with the EU advocating for increased contributions from major economies like China while maintaining its leadership as the largest contributor. The EU is calling for global cooperation to meet these ambitious goals and ensure meaningful progress in reducing CO2 emissions. https://lnkd.in/etGqfpt6  #environmentalcontent Reuters Kate Abnett Council of the European Union