COP29 failed future generations and those already affected by the climate crisis!
COP29 ended with an agreement that leaves us as young people and as activists disappointed. As youth, we are extremely concerned and frustrated that those in power continue to put revenues before people’s lives. We called on the global north to take responsibility for the Loss & Damage caused by the climate crisis – and are left with a promise that comes nowhere near the needed $1.3 trillion. No agreement would have been better than this agreement!
Kick Polluters Out!
With more than 1.770 delegates affiliated with the fossil fuel lobby, they accredited more representatives than the delegations of the 10 most vulnerable nations combined. We call for a strong policy on declaring conflict of interest of delegates and call on the UNFCCC to kick polluters out of this climate conference. You wouldn’t invite the tobacco industry to a health summit, would you?
So why are we giving the main drivers of the climate crisis this much space in the climate conferences? We demand more space for those on the frontlines of the climate crisis, those most affected, those marginalised already. We need their voices, their experience, their presence. We don’t need oil barrels in the UNFCCC COP pavilions!
The “Finance COP” did not deliver climate finance!
Instead of the needed $1.3 Trillion only $300 Billion per year by 2035 were agreed on, with an overall goal of §1.3 Trillion. This is NOT enough!
The Global North needs to pay up for adaptation, needs to pay up for loss & damage. We need meaningful climate finance that comes as grants not loans – and also not as “low-interest loans”. We expect the countries in the global north to take their historic responsibility seriously and support the countries most affected, those in the Global South, to adapt and act on climate change. Instead of subsidising fossil fuels with §1.1 Trillion, use the money to protect the people and compensate for the loss & damage!
As Global Young Greens, point out that the limitation of financial resources for adaptation perpetuates the imbalance between mitigation and adaptation, which puts the lives of millions of people at risk, especially in those most affected countries in the Global South that will not have the necessary means to respond.
There is No Climate Justice Without Gender Justice!
Throughout the conference we called for a gender-responsive just transition and called to deepen the integration of gender equality and feminist principles in all climate actions. And while women have been recognised as an important beneficiary group of climate finance, the finance goal lacks commitments to gender-responsive financing. But without this clear accountability, to implement gender-responsive approaches to climate finance, we risk perpetuating the already existing inequalities! The climate crisis is NOT gender-neutral – our solutions cannot be either!
We also expected parties to recognise women “in all their diversity” and acknowledge how discrimination affects women in different and often intersecting ways. This language was even included in the first drafts, but still not adopted in the final text! This lack of recognition of intersectionality limits the ability to address discrimination against women and girls in a holistic way.
Human Rights Die In Silence
We as Global Young Greens stand with courageous climate activists across the world. An international climate conference should simply not take place in countries that don’t give space for civil society to protest, that target activists with digital surveillance or that disregard the fundamental right to freedom of speech.
We therefore demand once again that the host agreements are made transparent early on in the preparations for UNFCCC COPs and that a secure space for civil society actors to protest, educate and raise their voices is guaranteed in and outside the Blue Zone. We expect that countries who cannot guarantee these safe spaces should not be selected as host countries to UN conferences.
Shrinking Spaces for Civil Society
From a local activist perspective, COP29 was a crucial moment for Azerbaijan, as it brought climate issues into the spotlight and sparked interest among local communities. It was encouraging to see Azerbaijani youth participate in these discussions, many for the first time, showing a genuine desire to engage and learn. However, the event also exposed major shortcomings, with big polluters and world leaders prioritising greenwashing over real, impactful action, while fossil fuel lobbyists maintained excessive influence. Like many previous COPs, it often felt like a stage for performative actions, with leaders arriving in private jets and making empty promises. While conversations about sustainable policies and stricter environmental regulations are a step forward, more is needed. As activists, we must continue pushing for accountability and genuine progress, with cautious hope for COP30.
COP30 Brazil: Our last chance? (again?)
We regret that many of the pending decisions for Baku, Azerbaijan, were postponed to Belém, Brazil. We simply don’t have time for postponing climate action year after year.
The hosting region of COP30 cannot hide its contradictions: the deforestation that is responsible for the emission of greenhouse gases, while claiming to modify its energy matrix to achieve a just transition.
We will closely watch if the political context is able to advance ambitious climate action and if activists and civil society representatives will get the chance to raise their voices without oppression.
