Energy News
ENERGY NEWS
World leaders meet for climate talks, but big names missing
World leaders meet for climate talks, but big names missing
By Nick Perry
Baku (AFP) Nov 12, 2024

Dozens of world leaders arrived in Azerbaijan on Tuesday for COP29 but many big names are skipping the UN climate talks where the impact of Donald Trump's election victory is keenly felt.

More than 75 leaders are expected in Baku over two days but the heads of some of the most powerful and polluting economies are not attending this year's summit.

Just a handful of leaders from the G20 -- which accounts for nearly 80 percent of planet-heating greenhouse gas emissions -- are expected in Baku, including UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

The British leader will unveil an "ambitious" update to the UK's climate goals later today, and said he wanted his country "to show leadership on the climate challenge."

Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Narendra Modi and Emmanuel Macron are among G20 leaders missing the event, where uncertainty over future US unity on climate action hung over the opening day.

"It's not an ideal situation," acknowledged Steven Guilbeault, Canada's environment minister.

"But in 30 years of COP, it's not the first time that we've faced obstacles," he told AFP. "Certainly, everything is still possible."

Washington's top climate envoy John Podesta is seeking to reassure countries in Baku that Trump's re-election will not end US efforts on global warming, even if the issue will be "on the back burner".

But despite calls for global cooperation, the opening day got off to a rocky start, with feuds over the official agenda delaying by hours the start of formal proceedings in the stadium venue near the Caspian Sea.

"This will be a tough COP," said Fernanda Carvalho, global climate and energy policy lead at WWF.

"Countries are divided. There is a lack of trust," she told AFP, and divisions over climate finance "will be reflected in every room of those negotiations."

- 'Climate debt' -

The top priority at COP29 is landing a hard-fought deal to boost funding for climate action in developing countries.

These nations -- from low-lying islands to fractured states at war -- are least responsible for climate change but most at risk from rising seas, extreme weather and economic shocks.

Some are pushing for the existing pledge of $100 billion a year to be raised ten-fold at COP29 to cover the future cost of their nations shifting to clean energy and adapting to climate shocks.

Babayev, a former oil executive, told negotiators that trillions may be needed, but a figure in the hundreds of billions was more "realistic".

That has angered developing countries and NGOs, who argue rich countries and historical emitters owe a "climate debt."

Nations have haggled over this for years, with disagreements over how much should be paid, and who should pay it, making meaningful progress next to impossible ahead of COP29.

Developing countries warn that without adequate finance, they will struggle to offer ambitious updates to their climate goals, which countries are required to submit by early next year.

The small group of developed countries that currently contributes the money wants the donor pool expanded to include other rich nations and top emitters, including China and the Gulf states, something firmly rejected by Beijing.

UN climate chief Simon Stiell has tried to convince rich countries that climate finance is not charity, but a downpayment on a safer, wealthier planet.

"The climate crisis is fast becoming an economy killer," he warned.

"Climate action is global inflation insurance," he added.

He also sought to reassure the talks that recent "political events" would not derail global climate diplomacy.

"Our process is strong. It's robust, and it will endure."

Around 50,000 people are attending summit in Azerbaijan, a petrostate wedged between Russia and Iran, including the leaders of many African, Asian and Latin American countries beset by climate disasters.

Related Links

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
ENERGY NEWS
Preparing Taiwan for a decarbonized economy
Boston MA (SPX) Nov 09, 2024
The operations of Taiwan's electronics, manufacturing, and financial firms vary widely, but their leaders all have at least one thing in common: They recognize the role that a changing energy landscape will play in their future success, and they're actively planning for that transition. "They're all interested in how Taiwan can supply energy for its economy going forward - energy that meets global goals for decarbonization," says Robert C. Armstrong, the Chevron Professor of Chemical Engineering E ... read more

ENERGY NEWS
The refrigerator as an indicator of societal progress

China passes energy law to 'promote carbon neutrality'

Brazil raises target for cutting greenhouse gas emissions

France, Barbados, Kenya urge global levies to tackle climate change

ENERGY NEWS
NASA opens Power Systems essay contest for K12 students

Tackling the energy revolution, one sector at a time

Silk Thread Innovation Powers Smart Textile Technology

Direct Observation of Space Charge Layers Inside Fuel Cell Electrolytes

ENERGY NEWS
Sweden blocks 13 offshore wind farms over defence concerns

Sweden's defence concerned by planned offshore wind power

On US coast, wind power foes embrace 'Save the Whales' argument

Renewables revolt in Sardinia, Italy's coal-fired island

ENERGY NEWS
Investigating limitations in new materials for perovskite solar cells

High renewable energy penetration reduces blackout impact

'Solar Great Wall' aims to power Beijing and curb desertification by 2030

KAIST researchers improve hybrid perovskite solar cells with enhanced infrared capture

ENERGY NEWS
Rwanda counting on Russia to train nuclear power specialists

Building the materials for the next generation of nuclear reactor

Framatome opens new Italian offices to bolster European nuclear energy growth

Small modular nuclear reactors may drive US energy and emissions progress

ENERGY NEWS
Waste heat from London sewers eyed to warm UK parliament

Bio-based fibers may have greater environmental impact than traditional plastics

Cobalt copper tandem catalysts transform CO2 into renewable ethanol

Sacred cow: coal-hungry India eyes bioenergy to cut carbon

ENERGY NEWS
Harnessing oil and gas windfall profits for climate funding

Researchers advance hydrogen jet engine design for sustainable aviation

U.S. secures 200 million barrels of oil for strategic reserve

US warplanes attack Iran-backed Huthi targets in Yemen: Pentagon

ENERGY NEWS
Nations gather for crunch climate talks in shadow of US vote

Lancet calls for urgenet shift in fossil fuel investment to tackle climate health impacts

Papua New Guinea to boycott 'waste of time' UN climate summit

1.2 billion people at 'high risk' from climate change: World Bank

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.