The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) opened in Baku, Azerbaijan, on November 11, 2024, with a strong call for urgent action on climate finance and international cooperation. Simon Stiell, the UN Climate Change Executive Secretary, delivered a compelling speech urging global leaders to make bold commitments to address the climate crisis.

Stiell shared a personal story about his 85-year-old neighbor Florence, whose home was destroyed by Hurricane Beryl. “At 85, Florence has become one of the millions of victims of runaway climate change this year alone,” he said. “There are people like Florence in every country on Earth. Knocked down, and getting back up again.” This moving account highlighted the human toll of climate change and underscored the need for immediate collective action.

In his address, Stiell stressed the importance of setting a new global climate finance goal to help vulnerable nations reduce emissions and adapt to increasingly frequent climate disasters. He warned that the economic consequences of inaction would affect all countries, stating, “If at least two-thirds of the world’s nations cannot afford to cut emissions quickly, then every nation pays a brutal price.”

He framed climate finance as a necessary investment, not “charity,” for global stability and security. Stiell also emphasized key objectives for COP29, such as finalizing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement on international carbon markets and setting ambitious finance and adaptation targets.

Stiell further called for structural reforms in the global financial system, advocating for more fiscal space for vulnerable nations. Concluding his speech, he urged leaders to demonstrate the “determination and ingenuity” needed to make meaningful progress at COP29, stating, “We cannot leave Baku without a substantial outcome.”

Image credit: Reuters