The United Nations is calling for overcoming competing interests in favour of the common good, for solutions rooted in sustainability.
As COP29 enters its final week, world leaders are being urged by the UN to accelerate negotiations and agree on concrete measures to address growing climate challenges.
“We cannot lose sight of the forest because we are fighting for individual trees,” UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell told stakeholders.
Since its opening in the Azerbaijani capital, COP29 has aimed to boost climate finance to support vulnerable countries facing the impacts of global warming. However, talks have been slow to progress, plagued by
divergences.
According to the UNFCCC Executive Secretary, delaying tactics such as “bluffing” and “brinkmanship” are hampering the achievement of an ambitious agreement.
In a statement relayed by UN News, Mr. Stiell urged delegations to move beyond side quarrels to focus on major decisions. “The stakes are too high for an epidemic of ‘you first’. Only a collaborative approach will bring us closer to consensus,” he said.
A call reiterated by António Guterres
UN Secretary-General António Guterres has expressed concern about the current impasse. Speaking in Rio de Janeiro on the sidelines of the G20 summit, he stressed the urgent need for major economies to “lead
by example.”
“Now is the time to unite. Failure is not an option,” he insisted, calling for climate financing that reflects the scale of the challenges facing developing countries.
Alongside the official negotiations, young people marked this COP29 with their vibrant interventions. Supported by UNICEF, children around the world denounced climate inaction, calling for their rights to be prioritised and for a COP dedicated to young people.
Catarina, 16, a Brazilian environmental activist, stressed the urgency of including children in decision-making processes.
“If we are the future, then that future must have a voice,” she argued.
According to UNICEF, nearly a billion children are affected by the consequences of climate change, whether it be heat waves, natural disasters or environmental degradation.
Catherine Russell, UNICEF Executive Director, stressed that governments must include children in climate solutions. “It is time to act. Health, education and water systems must be strengthened to withstand the impacts of climate change,” she insisted.
As COP30 looms, national action plans must further integrate the voices of young people, a demand loudly supported by children’s delegations.
ARD/te/Sf/fss/as/APA