The UN’s climate chief told countries at the deadlocked COP29 summit on Monday to “cut the theatrics” as pressure mounts on G20 leaders to deliver a breakthrough.
As the UN climate talks limp into a second week in Azerbaijan, the world is no closer to a finance deal for poorer countries that will determine the success or failure of COP29.
UN climate boss Simon Stiell said that “bluffing, brinkmanship and premeditated playbooks burn up precious time and run down the goodwill needed”.
Nations have until Friday to break the impasse over how to raise $1 trillion a year for developing countries to cope with global warming.
Pressure is mounting on G20 leaders to throw their weight behind the stalled process in Baku as they meet in Brazil for the annual summit of the world’s biggest economies — and top polluters — on Monday and Tuesday.
“A successful outcome at COP29 is still within reach, but it will require leadership and compromise, namely from the G20 countries,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Sunday in Rio de Janeiro.
COP29 president Mukhtar Babayev of Azerbaijan said it was a crucial moment for G20 countries “to show their leadership”.
“We cannot succeed without them, and the world is waiting to hear from them,” the former oil executive turned ecology minister told reporters.
Life or death –
A fight is also brewing at COP29 over whether countries should recommit to last year’s landmark pledge to move the world away from fossil fuels.
Saudi Arabia has been accused of obstructing efforts to address this and other measures to reduce record-high emissions of planet-heating greenhouse gases.
The main task at COP29 is negotiating a new deal to provide developing countries with enough money to cut emissions and build resilience against worsening climate shocks.
