“Behind the Scenes at COP29: Saudi Arabia’s Role in Climate Negotiations Revealed”
At the UNFCCC COP29 Climate Conference in Baku, Azerbaijan on November 19, 2024, the Saudi Arabia pavilion drew significant attention from visitors. The conference, which aimed to address crucial climate issues and agreements, faced challenges when Saudi Arabia and other developing countries expressed opposition to key negotiations.
Despite efforts to reach an agreement over the weekend, nations failed to come to a consensus, leading to the postponement of talks until the following year. However, President of COP29 Mukhtar Babayev announced on Monday that a plenary session had been working diligently to restore negotiations, with hopes for a positive outcome at the upcoming G20 meeting in Baku.
Babayev emphasized the importance of addressing mitigation efforts, stating that COP29 would not remain silent on the matter and would pursue solutions in every direction. Governments have been struggling to reaffirm their commitment to transitioning away from fossil fuels in new agreements this year, with challenges in including essential language in various statements and agreements.
Reports indicated that Saudi Arabian diplomats were actively working to obstruct agreements that aimed to phase out oil, gas, and coal, despite previously signing onto such commitments. Negotiators described Saudi Arabia’s actions as obstructive and detrimental to global climate efforts, with accusations of being a “wrecking ball” in the negotiations.
Experts and officials at the conference highlighted the critical role of energy transition finance in moving mitigation efforts forward, particularly as developing countries push for funding to support climate action. Calls were made for stronger consensus-building and cooperation among parties to accelerate emission reductions and address climate challenges effectively.
As the COP29 climate talks continue, the international community remains focused on finding common ground and advancing climate solutions to combat the urgent threat of climate change. Stay tuned for more updates on this critical issue.