Countries meeting in Azerbaijan to discuss a new global financial settlement for tackling the climate crisis must “cut the theatrics” and get down to serious business, the UN has said.
The UK and Brazil have been drafted in to try to break a logjam at the COP29 climate summit, which entered its second week on Monday with no agreement in sight on the key issue of how to channel at least $1tn a year to developing countries.
Poor nations need the money to cut greenhouse gas emissions and cope with the impacts of extreme weather. Rich countries stand accused of failing to come up with the cash to help them.
Officials from nearly 200 countries worked last week to draw up the text of a potential deal, but many countries have sent ministers – with decision-making powers – to the Azerbaijani capital, Baku, only for the second half of the fortnight-long meeting.
Simon Stiell, the UN’s climate chief, told the conference: “Ministers who have just arrived need to roll up their sleeves and dive into the hardest issues. Bluffing, brinksmanship and premeditated playbooks are burning up precious time. So let’s cut the theatrics and get down to the real business this week.”
He reminded rich countries that it was in their interest to help the poorest, which are suffering from the impacts of extreme weather but have done little to cause global heating. “Climate finance is not charity,” he said. “It is 100% in every nation’s interest to protect their economies and people from rampant climate impacts.”