COP29: The crucial test for global climate action Bulgarian media examine upcoming summit's impact

Bulgarian publication Fakti recently highlighted the significance of the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in their article, "Climate Change Summit - 2024: Why Is It Important and What Can It Offer?".

The article underscores that the upcoming summit comes at a pivotal moment for communities grappling with the escalating climate crisis, Caliber.Az reports.

Global temperatures are rising more rapidly than anticipated, extreme weather events are becoming more frequent and severe, sea levels are fluctuating, glaciers are melting, and desertification coupled with increased air pollution is deteriorating public health, the authors report.

The publication also draws attention to the urgent food security challenges faced by nations worldwide, particularly small island states for whom these issues are existential. This underscores the critical need for robust international participation at COP29.

The conference will address several crucial topics aimed at mitigating the severe impacts of climate change. However, the primary focus will be on securing financial commitments from high-income countries to assist low-income nations, earning COP29 the moniker of a "financial COP."

The article points out that high-income nations, which have historically benefited from polluting economic practices, have an obligation to support poorer countries in their efforts to decarbonize and adapt to rapidly changing climatic conditions. The unfulfilled promise of $100 billion annually in climate finance, made in 2009, has exacerbated distrust and hampered progress in combating climate change.

Given these challenges, COP29, scheduled to take place in Azerbaijan this November, is viewed as a "litmus test" for global climate action. Azerbaijan, as the host nation, is committed to conducting the summit in an inclusive, transparent, and impartial manner, with a focus on raising ambition and catalyzing action. Addressing climate finance, while considering the needs of developing countries, remains a top priority for the upcoming conference.

The decision to designate Azerbaijan as COP29 host was finalized at the COP28 plenary meeting in Dubai on December 11, 2023. Baku is poised to become the centre of global attention, expecting to welcome around 70,000 to 80,000 international attendees.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was established at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992 to address human impact on the climate. The Conference of the Parties (COP), which includes 198 member countries, is the primary body overseeing the implementation of the UNFCCC. COP meetings are held annually unless otherwise agreed, with the first meeting taking place in March 1995 in Berlin, and the secretariat located in Bonn.