World leaders have gathered for the COP29 climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, yet notable leaders from the top carbon-emitting nations are absent, casting doubt on effective progress.
Seth Borenstein, Melina Walling and Sibi Arasu report for The Associated Press.
In short:
- Leaders from the 13 largest carbon-polluting countries, responsible for over 70% of global emissions, skipped the talks, prompting criticism about their commitment to climate action.
- Climate finance, especially funding for developing countries facing severe climate impacts, is a key focus, with debates over commitments ranging from $100 billion to $1.3 trillion annually.
- Smaller nations and climate-vulnerable countries highlighted the urgent need for climate action, with the Marshall Islands’ president describing a global “turning tide” on climate issues.
Key quote:
“It’s symptomatic of the lack of political will to act. There’s no sense of urgency.”
— Bill Hare, CEO of Climate Analytics
Why this matters:
Without leadership from the biggest emitters, efforts to curb emissions may falter. As climate disasters become more frequent and intense, especially in vulnerable nations, a lack of committed action could worsen global inequality and impede necessary climate adaptation efforts.
Related: COP29 leader criticized for discussing fossil fuel deals in secret meeting
