Headlines You Need To Know

The COP-related news you cannot miss.

RICH COUNTRIES PLEDGE $300B IN CLIMATE FINANCE DEAL: On the verge of the summit’s failure, talks reached the eleventh hour, with rich countries pledging $300B in climate finance for the most vulnerable nations – the main aim of COP29. But this was lambasted by the recipients, many of whom walked out of the negotiations earlier, and called the final deal unacceptable.

SAUDI ARABIA LED EFFORTS TO BLOCK FOSSIL FUEL PLEDGE: Saudi Arabia used delaying tactics and blocking manoeuvres to resist international delegates’ efforts to restate the COP28 commitment to transition away from fossil fuels. It was successful, with a decision to do so now postponed until COP30 in Brazil.

UN NET-ZERO CHAIR ‘SICK’ OF SAUDI ARABIA’S MOVE: Responding to these tactics, Catherina McKenna, Canada’s former climate change minister and the UN’s chair of net-zero emissions commitments, said she is “sick” of Saudi Arabia’s reluctance to move away from fossil fuels.

CARBON OFFSET APPROVAL SPARKS GREENWASHING: In a telltale sign of the conference’s facade of action, countries agreed on a UN-backed framework for carbon trading, allowing wealthy polluters to buy carbon credits from vulnerable nations. But critics fear this gives the former a licence to greenwash, given the dicey nature of the carbon credit market.

AZERBAIJAN BLOCKS COP29.COM DOMAIN ATTACKING FOSSIL FUELS: COP29 organisers have attempted to block campaigners from using the domain name COP29, owned by a campaign group Global Witness, which is hung it to attack the fossil fuel industry. The website is blocked in Baku.

INDIA AND CHINA SHOULDN’T BE CALLED DEVELOPING NATIONS: Delegates from some of the poorest countries at COP29 believe India and China, two of the world’s top five economies, should not be treated as developing countries (a classifications rating back to 1992). They should be contributing financially instead of receiving aid, some leaders said.

30+ NATIONS SIGN METHANE REDUCTION PLEDGE: Over 30 countries have endorsed the COP29 Declaration on Reducing Methane from Organic Waste, including eight of the 10 largest methane emitters from waste.

WHO LEADS COP29 HEALTH COALITION: The World Health Organization, the COP29 Presidency, Azerbaijan, and Spain co-hosted a high-level event that saw the official establishment of the Baku COP Presidencies Continuity Coalition for Climate and Health.

VATICAN BLOCKS WOMEN’S RIGHTS DISCOURSE: Vatican City has joined Saudi Arabia, Russia, Iran, and Egypt to block a deal that would have provided more support to women feeling the worst impacts of climate change, according to Colombia’s environment minister. It followed a row over references to transgender and gay women, which these countries want to see removed.

UK COMMITS £239M TO REVERSE DEFORESTATION: The UK has announced £239M in funding for forest-rich nations to halt and reverse deforestation, and conserve nature and wildlife.

COP29 DELEGATES TASTE CULTIVATED MEAT: Australia’s Vow, on the back of regulatory clearance in Hong Kong, served its Forged Parfait made from cultivated quail at COP29’s Singapore Evening. It followed the appearance of dishes made from Good Meat’s cultivated chicken and Solar Foods‘s air-based Solein protein in the previous two years.

Key #COP29 Reports

The food and climate reports you need to know about.

• McKinsey fuels the climate crisis: Consulting firm McKinsey has helped exacerbate clients through the clients it has worked with, an investigation by the Guardian shows. It was also found to engage with such companies despite knowing they were set to exceed the 1.5°C target.
• Climate funds failing grassroots farmers: The two global climate funds, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the Green Climate Fund, have been criticised for excluding family farmers, according to Money Well Spent?, a new report by Family Farmers for Climate Action.

 

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