Former US Vice President Al Gore delivered a passionate address at the COP29 summit in Baku, criticizing the fossil fuel industry and stating that industry officials are “much more skilled at influencing politicians than at reducing emissions.”
Mr. Gore, a prominent climate activist in the US, urged attendees to seek solutions instead of yielding to political and industrial pressures.
“We must determine how long we will allow the financial and political might of the fossil fuel industry to intimidate us. If we unite in each nation and make thoughtful decisions, we can overcome this issue.”
This year’s UN climate summit faces challenges in maintaining focus on the planet’s wellbeing, as tumultuous geopolitics, a contentious host, and the potential reelection of US climate skeptic Donald Trump take center stage.
Climate activists conducted a protest within the COP29 venue, advocating for the phase-out of fossil fuels.
“The UN climate and environmental discussions are increasingly becoming a tragic spectacle,” remarked Juan Carlos Monterrey, Special Representative for Climate at Panama’s Ministry of Environment.
Azerbaijan, the host of the 29th Conference of the Parties, is tasked with the limited ambition of uniting nations around a target for annual financial aid for developing countries grappling with the escalating costs of climate change.
Read more: Explainer: A guide to COP29 climate jargon
During the summit’s opening, Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev criticized the United States and the European Union as climate hypocrites, creating a tense atmosphere for countries pivotal to the financing goal.
Mr. Aliyev also accused France of colonial “crimes,” prompting the French climate minister to cancel her visit to the summit.
As the two-week summit progressed, a consortium of former leaders, climate specialists, and scientists issued an open letter calling for reform of the COP process, arguing that it “cannot deliver the rapid and extensive change necessary to ensure a safe climate future for humanity.”
The lead negotiator for the COP29 presidency acknowledged the multilateral process was facing considerable pressure in Baku.
“We view COP29 as a crucial test for the global climate framework,” stated Yalchin Rafiyev from Azerbaijan to reporters.
Trump Effect
Former US President Trump’s potential reelection has caused some nations to temper their expectations prior to the COP gathering.
“This COP was constrained from the outset,” noted Jon Creyts, president of RMI, a think tank focused on energy transitions.
Mr. Trump’s reelection has led some countries to lower their expectations before COP convened.
Mr. Trump has pledged to withdraw the US from international climate collaborations, as he did during his prior term from 2017 to 2021, dismissing global warming as a hoax.
In his address, Mr. Gore downplayed the future impact of the President-elect on climate policy initiatives.
“When (Donald) Trump held the presidency previously, the expansion of solar and wind energy and electric vehicles persisted, driven by economics and propelled by state, provincial, and city governments as well as businesses.”
However, AOSIS negotiator Michai Robertson noted that negotiations would face greater challenges if Mr. Trump were to exit the Paris Agreement again.
“We’re in a different geopolitical landscape than during their initial withdrawal. Many other nations are shifting to the right, and there’s… less camaraderie among the international community to achieve results,” Mr. Robertson explained.
In a further setback, Argentina, where President Javier Milei has also labeled global warming a hoax and was scheduled to meet Mr. Trump this week, withdrew its delegation yesterday to “reevaluate the situation.”
