FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NOVEMBER 24, 2024
BAKU, AZERBAIJAN. ACT Alliance expresses its profound disappointment with the outcome of COP 29 and the failure to secure even the minimum asks of the poorest and most vulnerable countries. This result is an indication of weak leadership from the COP29 Presidency, which has fallen short of its responsibility to deliver meaningful progress. After three years of negotiations on the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), the heart of the finance commitments for this so-called “Finance COP,” this outcome is starkly inadequate. The lack of ambition and inadequate support for those most affected by the climate crisis undermine trust in the process and stall the urgent action needed to address the escalating global emergency
“COP29 has proved to be a colossal disappointment,” said Sostina Takure, coordinator of the ACT Zimbabwe Forum. “The failure to address the demands of the most vulnerable countries is evident across all tracks. There was a very clear regression in terms of ambitious language especially in the gender text. We have failed the women and girls who suffer the consequences of climate change and were pinning their hopes on this process. There is no effective participation of the poor and vulnerable countries without strong fianncial commitments directly towards them.”
“The lack of real progress during the COP at a time when the planet feels fragile in so many ways signals lack of real care about the issues and the people experiencing the effects of climate damage,” said Alethia White, Regional Liaison for Northern and Central Europe with the Presbyterian Church USA. “At the same time, any agreement is welcome and my respect goes to those governments and negotiators who show up, who stick with it, and who choose to look past disagreements and sit at the same table when it is difficult to do so. I heard a sentiment expressed during my time at the COP that if we stay in our comfort zone change will not happen. We need to collectively work outside of our comfort zones for the good of all.”
ACT comments on the key aspects of the negotiations:
Finance
The long-awaited moment to agree on the New Collective Quantified Goal came at the wee hour, amidst great concerns and worries of a potentially failing COP 29. It’s now decided. But the set mobilisation quantum of USD 300B by developed countries is not anywhere close to what is needed to bridge the financing gap. The road ahead seems bleak but hope exists. We must at all cost keep equity and fairness at the heart of financing climate change mitigation, adaptation and loss and damage response, and implementing the agreed decision.
“The COP29 agreement represents a small step forward, but it falls frustratingly short of addressing the immense and urgent needs we are witnessing across our partners and country offices in the Global South,” said Mattias Söderberg, Global Climate Lead, DanChurchAid and co-chair of the ACT Alliance climate justice reference group.
“We condemn the lack of a meaningful outcome on climate finance at COP29. After three years of negotiations, vulnerable nations are still left without the support they desperately need. This failure to deliver is a betrayal of climate justice and global solidarity,” said Illari Aragon, Climate Justice Policy Lead, Christian Aid.
“Developed countries have been shamefully unwilling to listen to the science and commit to a needs-based climate finance goal,” continued Matilde Angeltveit, climate policy advisor in Norwegian Church Aid. “Throughout three years of negotiations they have refused to talk openly about what they are willing to provide, jeopardising the Paris agreement to avoid taking responsibility and paying their fair share. Rich countries cant compromise with science, they need to provide at least 1T in grants based climate finance to developing countries annually.”
Adaptation
While COP29 failed to advance guidance on National Adaptation Plans, ACT does acknowledge that the negotiations to set up a robust framework for evaluating progress on global goals on adaptation (GGA) was a rare success in Baku.The GGA guides towards developing a buffet of 100 global and local indicators from which parties can choose those suiting best their national circumstances. The refining of indicators is guided by important human rights-based principles, principles that are both locally-led and inclusive.
“The set of indicators is also geared to monitoring the substantial gap between adaptation finance and needed action. We need to hold those mobilising finances accountable to strike a balance between mitigation and adaptation, and furthermore, to abide by the decision to dramatically scale up adaptation finances,” said leading advocacy specialist from Felm, Niko Humalisto.
Andrew Fuys said, “Developed countries’ failure to fund climate action at the scale that science requires will only increase the risks of climate-induced displacement. Greater inclusion of refugees and migrants in adaptation efforts, while welcome, is meaningless without the funds needed to bring those very efforts to life.”
Mitigation
COP29 produced minimal progress on mitigation, pushing this topic towards Brazil at COP30, but this lack of progress in Baku further endangers humanity’s ability to limit global temperature rise to 1.5C. “The outcome of COP29 does not match the ambition required for the next generation of NDCs,” said, Elena Cedillo, co-chair of ACT Alliance’s climate justice reference group and Program Executive for Climate Justice with the Lutheran World Federation. “Without 1.5°C-aligned commitments from countries, the opportunity to secure the 1.5°C goal will be lost. Tracking commitments is essential to ensure accountability and translate ambition into real and effective action.”
Loss and Damage
The issue of losses and damages caused by climate change wasn’t addressed, only acknowledged in the NCQG. Both economic and non-economic losses have a profound impact on human rights, are a precursor for additional inequities and a source of deep concern for communities worldwide.
Indigenous and vulnerable communities, including marginalised groups and individuals dependent on their natural resources and livelihood options are among the hardest hit, suffering devastating losses of livelihoods, cultural identity, heritage and practices and in many cases are forced to relocate by climate induced hazards. These are not just measurable losses and damages – they are irreplaceable. COP29 failed to deliver the necessary solutions to truly avert, minimise and address the needs of climate vulnerable communities.
“I am infuriated to come home to the aftermath of six typhoons that have struck the Philippines in the space of just four weeks with basically zero gains from COP29,” said Patricia Mungcal, humanitarian manager with the National Council of Churches in the Philippines. “I will be telling thousands of Filipino families who were devastated by these strong typhoons that world leaders have left us to suffer the heaviest impacts of the climate crisis and disregarded our demands for finance and reparations. This failure to address loss and damage is a grave disregard of our human dignity and rights. We charge this failure of COP29 to the moral bankruptcy of the rich, polluting nations.”
Katherine Braun, Ecumenical Centre of ELNG and ACT Alliance Reference Group on Migration and Displacement, continued, “The lack of political will for a human rights and gender responsive approach leaves migrants, refugees and displaced people in extreme situations of vulnerability and exposed to human rights violations. The economic and non-economic losses and damages are huge. The Loss and Damage Fund launched at COP28 was a good step forward to respond to the urgents needs of displaced communities and persons, but without meaningful financing they are once again left behind.”
Gender
“Considering the fact that inequality is exposing women and girls in diversity, indigenous groups, minorities, and disabled people to higher climate vulnerability, our expectation was a more ambitious and prescriptive gender programme document,” said Margareta Koltai from Act Church of Sweden. “Instead of getting to the next level, we had to defend earlier language to avoid an even more watered down version. It is clear that there is a gender pushback. There are actors, including faith actors, defending patriarchal values and blocking texts with more intersectional and rights based language. This has made it evident that the ecumenical movement has a very important role to play in defending gender equality and pushing for a better gender balance at the decision making tables. We must make sure that more than 50% of the world’s population are not left behind in climate decisions.” (Margareta Koltai, Act Church of Sweden)
“As a young woman, I urge a strong and unwavering commitment to the new Gender Action Plan, with meaningful action across its five priority areas: gender capacity, gender balance, gender coherence, gender-responsive implementation, and transparent gender monitoring. It is vital that the new generation of the NDCs and NAPs integrate and uphold these essential components of the GAP,” said Carine Josiéle Wendland – LWF delegate and member of the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil
Youth
“Youth of faith have had enough empty words. Our insistence that a better world is possible is not a naive dream, it’s a deep spiritual conviction. As youth, our leadership is essential in this movement, we are the ones on the ground leading projects addressing climate change in our communities around the world, but the world won’t be able to achieve Climate Justice until young people are also fully included in climate negotiations, and our stories and perspectives are taken seriously,” Savanna Sullivan from the Lutheran World Federation stated.
“It is painful to see that global political will remains lacking. As a young person from a developing country, I urge the major emitting nations to listen, take decisive action, and assume responsibility for the well-being of our common home,” said Romario Dohmann, LWF Delegate and member of the Evangelical Church of the River Plate/ ACT LAC regional forum.
Hope for the future
“Between now and the next COP there must be a patient,careful strategy to nurture trust and friendship between participants.God gives us all we need to care for all planetary life,” said Bishop Philip Huggins, of the Anglican Church in Australia. “We just need to better apply our shared learnings on making relationships that are truly wonderful.”
White from the Presbyterian Church, USA agreed. “While it feels hard to feel hopeful after such a difficult COP experience, there must be hope in order for there to be meaningful progress, whether that is on a geopolitical level, international sphere, or within local communities.”
