The letter, addressed to UNFCCC Executive Secretary Simon Steele, UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN member states, was signed by former UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, former Irish President Mary Robinson, former UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres and other experts representing climate change organisations.
“We need to move from negotiations to implementation”
The signatories believe that the UN should apply strict selection criteria for host countries to exclude states that do not support a global phase-out of coal, oil and gas.
“It is clear that the COP is no longer fit for purpose. The current structure simply cannot accommodate the exponential pace and scale of change needed to ensure safe climate change for humanity,” the letter said.
Its authors call for a “fundamental overhaul” of the COP processes. “We need to move from negotiations to implementation, which will enable the COP to deliver on its agreed commitments and ensure an urgent energy transition and phase-out of fossil fuels,” the document states.
Environmental activists protest at COP29Photo: Aziz Karimov/REUTERS
Scientists and politicians also point out the large number of fossil fuel lobbyists at UN climate change conferences.
The activist group Kick Big Polluters Out has calculated that at least 1,773 lobbyists from the coal, oil and gas industries have been officially accredited to attend COP29. According to its data, since 2003, fossil fuel lobbyists have been issued more than 10,000 accreditations to COP, and last year’s summit in Dubai saw a record number of lobbyists: almost 2,500 people. Moreover, most of them did not declare themselves as company representatives, but got to COP through trade associations or as part of national delegations.
Criticism of Baku from the West
Azerbaijan’s choice to host COP29 has drawn criticism from Western participants in the forum, given the country’s heavy reliance on oil and gas exports, which make up almost half of its economy.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev , speaking to conference participants, said oil and gas, like any other natural resource, are “a gift from God.” He added that oil and gas exporters should not be blamed for bringing these resources to market “because the market needs them.”
https://www.dw.com/ru/eksperty-konferencii-oon-po-klimatu-ne-sootvetstvuut-celi/a-70785649
