Overnight in Baku, civil society organizations have hand-delivered two letters about the latest disgraceful draft text regarding the climate finance goal – one to the developed countries, calling them out, and one to the G77+China, supporting them in rejecting the current text.
Please see the embargoed press release below, along with photos.
Embargo 0500 Baku time, 23 November 2024
‘We are not fooled’: Civil society issues letter to Developed Countries and supports G77+China in response to latest NCQG draft text
November 23, 2024, Baku – As negotiations continued into the night on the climate finance goal at COP29, civil society organisations representing millions of people across the world issued letters to Developed Countries and the G77+China.
Addressed to the G77+China, and hand-delivered to Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Uganda to the United Nations, Adonia Ayebare, at the COP29 conference centre, the letter states that “the collective civil society constituencies and members present at COP29, and with broader global civil society behind us, wholeheartedly support you in rejecting the current negotiating text” regarding the climate finance goal.
The letter from 335 organisations went on to state how “no deal in Baku is better than a bad deal, and this is a very, very bad deal because of the intransigence of developed countries.”
Also hand-delivered by ENGO representatives, Tasneem Essop, Executive Director of Climate Action Network and Asad Rehman, Executive Director War on Want and COP29 Climate Justice Coalition co-ordinator, was a letter to the United States, European Union, UK, Canada, Japan and other developed countries from 156 organisations.
Received by Trigg Talley, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and Director of Climate Negotiations and Programs, US Department of State, the letter expresses how deeply outraged civil society is at these developed countries’ “destructive role in creating an absolutely unacceptable NCQG draft negotiating text.” Instead of running away from their legal responsibilities, the organisations urged developed countries “to take the lead in transitioning from fossil fuels and providing public funding and technology to developing countries.” The letter also reminded developed countries on how they are required to fulfil their commitments under the Paris Agreement and Climate Convention.
If this COP ends with a weak or nonexistent outcome, the letter said, developed countries will be the ones to blame.