‘Cut the theatrics’: UN climate chief tells COP29 negotiators to focus on solutions as talks enter final week
November 18, 2024
SHARM EL-SHEIKH, Egypt – UN climate chief Simon Stiell has urged negotiators at COP29 to cut the “theatrics” and focus on finding solutions to the climate crisis as the talks enter their final week.
Stiell’s comments came after a week of intense negotiations that have seen little progress on key issues such as loss and damage and climate finance.
“We are now entering the final week of COP29, and it is time to get serious about finding solutions,” Stiell said. “We cannot afford to waste any more time on theatrics. We need to focus on the task at hand, which is to reach an agreement that will help us to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius and build a more sustainable future for all.”
Stiell’s comments were echoed by other senior UN officials, who expressed frustration at the slow pace of progress at COP29.
“We are running out of time to take action on climate change,” said Inger Andersen, executive director of the UN Environment Programme. “We need to see more ambition and more commitment from all countries if we are going to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.”
Negotiators at COP29 are under pressure to reach an agreement on a number of key issues, including:
- Loss and damage: Developing countries are demanding that developed countries provide financial assistance to help them cope with the impacts of climate change, such as rising sea levels and extreme weather events.
- Climate finance: Developed countries have pledged to provide $100 billion per year to help developing countries transition to clean energy and adapt to the impacts of climate change. However, this target has not yet been met.
- Mitigation: Countries need to agree on more ambitious targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Stiell said that he was hopeful that negotiators would be able to reach an agreement on these key issues before the end of COP29.
“I know that there are still some difficult issues to resolve,” Stiell said. “But I am confident that we can find a way forward if we work together in a spirit of cooperation and compromise.”
COP29 is scheduled to conclude on November 27.
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