In a striking move, representatives from the Association of Small Islands States (AOSIS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) exited the negotiations during the latest United Nations climate talks. The negotiations, which were held in Baku as part of the COP29 Climate Change Conference, ran into overtime and culminated with a walkout. The negotiators expressed frustration, citing that their climate finance interests were being disregarded by developed nations.
Juan Carlon Monterrey Gomez from Panama shared insights with CNN, accusing developed nations of engaging in tactics to undermine the developing countries’ positions. Describing the scenario as a ‘war of attrition,’ Gomez highlighted how these countries felt exhausted and sidelined from the climate diplomacy conversation:
Every minute that passes we are going to just keep getting weaker and weaker and weaker. They don’t have that issue. They have massive delegations… This is what they always do. They break us at the last minute. You know, they push it and push it and push it until our negotiators leave. Until we’re tired, until we’re delusional from not eating, from not sleeping.
The AOSIS Chair, Cedric Schuster, echoed similar sentiments, criticizing the ongoing “political games” at the UN and emphasizing the dire situation faced by small islands. These countries are at the frontline of climate change impact, underscoring the urgency for inclusive and forward-thinking solutions in accordance with the Paris Climate Agreement 2015.
The negotiations stumbled over planned budgets that Monterrey Gomez labeled as “unacceptable.” He voiced concerns on X about these budgets being negotiated in exclusion of many countries like Panama.
Despite the walkout, there were notable advancements during COP29, including efforts to operationalize the Loss and Damage Fund. This initiative aims to provide financial aid to developing countries to compensate for the damage inflicted by climate change.
Amidst this controversy, the UN Trade and Development (UNCTAD) urged for the mobilization of substantial financial resources, recommending that 500 billion dollars be raised in 2023 alone to combat climate change, with an aim to scale this to 1.5 trillion by the end of the decade. The conference has underscored the critical financial challenges, spotlighting the themes of loss, damage, adaptation, and mitigation.
For further context and details on this development, you can review the full report on JURIST.