Landlocked Countries Require Increased Financial Support – COP29 Lead Negotiator

At the recent event titled “Strengthening Climate Resilience and Sustainable Development in Landlocked Developing Countries (LLDCs): Challenges and Opportunities,” the COP29 Lead Negotiator and Deputy Foreign Minister of Azerbaijan emphasized an urgent need for enhanced international cooperation, expanded infrastructure, and increased funding to assist landlocked nations in overcoming their climate and economic hurdles.

“Today, we gather important stakeholders to deliberate ways in which LLDCs can tackle their climate and economic obstacles. Similar to numerous LLDCs, Azerbaijan encounters challenges linked to the absence of direct access to ports. This results in economic limitations, elevated transportation expenses, prolonged delays in the movement of merchandise, and a susceptibility to the political and economic turmoil in neighboring transit countries,” explained the negotiator.

Climate change presents unique threats to landlocked countries, despite their relatively low contribution to worldwide emissions. These nations experience environmental challenges such as droughts, floods, melting glaciers, and other natural calamities. However, their limited institutional, technical, and financial capacities hinder their ability to adopt effective strategies for climate adaptation and management.

This discussion occurs against the backdrop of the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29), which commenced on November 11 and is scheduled to continue until November 22 at the Baku Olympic Stadium. This significant occasion marks the largest event in Azerbaijan’s history and the first of its kind in the region.

The highlight of COP29 was the summit of world leaders on climate action, held on November 12-13. A primary objective of the conference is to settle on a fair and ambitious New Collective Quantitative Goal (NCQG) regarding climate finance. The chairperson of COP29 has proactively initiated 14 projects, which aim to interconnect climate action with the Sustainable Development Goals. These initiatives include the development of green energy corridors, energy storage solutions, measures for climate resilience, innovations in clean hydrogen, and efforts to reduce methane emissions from organic waste, alongside promoting green digital technology advancements.

These initiatives not only set the groundwork for proactive measures but also contribute to achieving the 1.5°C temperature goal, unifying global efforts in climate action. COP29 will explore financial strategies and commitments crucial in empowering landlocked countries to effectively engage with their climate mitigation and adaptation strategies.

The UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, established at the Rio Earth Summit in June 1992, seeks to avert hazardous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. This convention brings together 198 countries. The Conference of the Parties, abbreviated as COP, fulfills the role of the principal decision-making body responsible for overseeing the Framework Convention’s implementation, with the inaugural meeting held in Berlin in March 1995. The permanent secretariat of the convention is located in Bonn.

Efforts have been geared towards forging a consensus on internationally coordinated climate finance mechanisms, striving to empower all nations, especially those with inherent geographical and financial disadvantages, such as LLDCs, to foster greater climate resilience and sustainable development.

The ongoing discussions at COP29 aim to integrate environmental considerations with economic imperatives, especially focusing on equitable funding distribution that supports vulnerable nations. In this context, enhanced funding is not merely a financial matter but a vital component for global environmental justice and sustainability, which will influence future policy and strategic planning in global climate governance.

By committing to these goals, COP29 aspires to fortify the global response to climate change and promote sustainable prospects for LLDCs, ensuring no country’s climate resilience efforts are hindered by the absence of adequate resources.