Ongoing
COP29
The world climate conference will be held in Azerbaijan from November 11 to 22, 2024
The context
From November 11 to 22, 2024, the 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change will be held in Baku, Azerbaijan.
In this time of mounting climate challenges, it has never been more urgent to mobilize the international community around a set of concrete measures to protect our planet's future.
COP29 brings together delegations from 196 countries as well as civil society and private sector delegations representing over 4,000 organizations. In all, over 70,000 delegates from all horizons will be in attendance.
- $38 billion Extreme weather will inflict losses to the global economy worth an annual $38 billion by 2049.
- Source: The economic commitment of climate change, Nature
The issues
Several major issues will be negotiated at COP29:
Limiting global warming to 1.5°C
It has been nearly a decade since the ratification of the Paris Agreement, which laid the groundwork for international climate action limiting global warming to 1.5°C. Despite the legislative and political progress achieved since then, a huge amount of work remains, and countries must do more to limit warming to between 1.5 and 2°. The coming years will be crucial in establishing a viable, adequate transition strategy. The talks will therefore focus on international priorities for reducing our impact.
Energy transition and emissions reductions
With the increasingly dire impacts of climate change, countries need to drastically curtail their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as called for under the Paris Agreement. Front and centre in the COP29 negotiations will be the transition to renewable energy and the phasing-out of fossil fuels, the elimination of coal and the reduction in methane emissions. The President and host country, Azerbaijan, hopes to demonstrate a genuine desire on the part of oil producing countries to participate in the transition.
Adaptation and resilience
Adaptation to the impacts of the climate crisis and infrastructure resilience will be featured topics in the negotiations, with a focus on the national adaptation strategies that must be put in place by all countries by 2025. COP29 is being held for the first time in the Caucasus, one of the regions hardest hit by the effects of climate change. Azerbaijan, like several other nations, is grappling with unbearable heat waves, increasingly poor soil health and water scarcity.
Climate justice
Countries from the Global South, which are among the most affected by the impacts of climate change despite having contributed the least to the climate crisis, need firm commitments from developed wealthy countries such as Canada on funding and support mechanisms to mitigate and adapt to the climate change impacts that they are dealing with.
Climate finance
A central issue will be the operationalization of the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage, aimed at supporting the most vulnerable countries. The funds collected from oil profits will serve to make oil producing countries accountable for the development of fair adaptation policies.
What’s Équiterre doing at COP29?
Équiterre’s Climate Policy Analyst, Charles-Edouard Têtu, and Mobilization Manager, Marie-Eve Leclerc, will be on site at COP29.
Équiterre’s delegation will be carrying out a number of activities, including:
- Highlighting climate adaptation at the Canada Pavilion, alongside experts from Quebec and various countries in a panel
- Monitoring negotiations on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) for financial flows, Nationally Determined Contributions for GHG emissions reductions, the Just Transition Work Programme, and the negotiations surrounding the Global Goal on Adaptation, as well as keeping the Quebec public and media informed;
- Taking part in daily debriefing sessions held as part of the Climate Dialogues;
- Representing civil society in discussions with the governments of Quebec and Canada.
Climate adaptation
Équiterre will focus on climate adaptation while at COP29. Adaptation has become a priority at every political level to deal with the disruption brought on by climate change impacts.
Équiterre is organizing a panel, which will be held on November 18 at COP29. It will look at the issues associated with climate adaptation within the context of international climate negotiations and to help develop solutions in Canada and elsewhere.
The panel will bring together experts in the field of adaptation, representatives from the insurance sector who are sounding the alarm on climate costs, and representatives from economic sectors affected by the impacts of climate change.
Caroline Larrivée, Director of Scientific Programming, Ouranos
Noora Firaq, Deputy Managing Director, Climate Outreach
Marc Paasch, Global Director, Alternative Risk Transfer, WTW
The panel will address the following issues:
- The cost of adaptation and of inaction
- The collaborative mechanisms necessary among various levels of government
- Funding for climate adaptation
- What is needed to make communities and economic sectors more resilient
- The behavioural transformation (energy consumption, mobility, agriculture and food)
Everything you need to know about climate adaptation
Have a look at our resourceCOP29 News
Stay up-to-date on the latest developments and our delegation’s insights.
11 novembre
COP29 begins
FAQs
Why does Équiterre participate in COPs?
The COP is a valuable forum for influencing Canada and other countries, since decisions made there will shape the climate action taken by governments. Ambitious decisions have the potential to raise ambition levels, both nationally and locally.
Though other groups have chosen to boycott the COP, Équiterre decided not to, because if we boycott the COP, we leave more room for the oil lobby and the other major polluters, who have no qualms about participating. Équiterre therefore feels that boycotting is not an option.
Furthermore, having representatives from civil society present is crucial when it comes to influencing international discussions on climate change. Many groups have fought for a voice in these climate talks, such as youth groups, environmental organizations, trade unions, research groups, Indigenous organizations, businesses, farmers and local governments.
Équiterre is using its on-site presence to support these communities, amplify their voices and ensure that countries like Canada contribute their fair share to global climate action.
Why are COPs useful?
The climate COPs alone cannot "save the world," but they have nonetheless led to important advances, such as the establishment of a Loss and Damage Fund at COP27 and the consensus for a transition away from fossil fuels at COP28.
The gains made at COPs are enshrined in international law and are difficult to reverse. Admittedly, this makes for a slow process, but one with a solid foundation and real impact.
Finally, a COP is the only meeting where countries with little influence on the world stage can have a voice that carries as much weight as that of the bigger players. It's a unique opportunity to tell the story of the many challenges faced by the most vulnerable communities, whether it involves funding efforts to reduce GHG emissions, adapting to the various impacts of climate change, or suffering irreversible damage.
So yes, COPs are useful and necessary.
The Équiterre team has to fly to get to the COPs; isn't that a problem?
Équiterre is aware of the environmental impact of air travel. Our organization therefore always sends a minimal delegation, in order to limit this impact at the source. We also always offset the GHG emissions associated with this travel, even though this is by no means a panacea.
This type of travel, which is exceptional, is well worth the effort in Équiterre's view, especially given the importance of human relations in advancing climate action and the negotiations. It's the excesses, such as the frequent use of private jets or multiple flights for pleasure over short periods of time, that should be denounced.
Related content
Équipe
Analyst, Climate and Energy policy
Mobilization Manager
meleclerc@equiterre.orgSee profilemeleclerc@equiterre.org
Équiterre's participation in COP29 is made possible with the help of financial support from the Quebec government under the 2030 Plan for a Green Economy and the mesure de Coopération climatique municipale.
