The United Nations COP29 climate change conference in Baku seeks $1 trillion annually to help vulnerable nations tackle climate change, as political tensions and Argentina’s withdrawal overshadow talks.
At the COP29 climate summit in Baku, nations continue to focus on efforts to secure up to $1 trillion annually to support vulnerable countries in addressing climate change, amidst rising political tensions.
Argentina withdrew its delegation on Thursday, adding to the challenges overshadowing the talks. The outcome of this year’s summit is tied to achieving consensus on a new financial target for wealthier nations, development banks, and private investors to meet by the end of the decade. Economists estimate that developing nations require at least $1 trillion per year to tackle the climate crisis.
Countries have emphasized that financial commitments are key to setting ambitious climate targets ahead of next year’s COP30 in Brazil. However, disagreements and shifting global political dynamics have created a difficult negotiating environment. Donald Trump’s recent presidential election victory has raised uncertainties about the United States’ future role in climate finance, while tensions between developed and developing countries have surfaced during negotiations.
“The clock is ticking,” warned COP29 Lead Negotiator Yalchin Rafiyev at a press briefing. The previous $100 billion annual finance target, set to expire this year, was only fully met starting in 2022. A report from the Independent High-Level Expert Group on Climate Finance highlighted the urgency, suggesting the target should increase to at least $1.3 trillion per year by 2035 if immediate action isn’t taken.
Draft texts under discussion reveal significant differences in opinion among negotiators. Many Western countries remain hesitant to make large financial pledges, and with the potential withdrawal of the United States from future funding agreements, the pressure is mounting to identify alternative sources. Multilateral development banks, such as the World Bank, are undergoing reforms to enhance their lending capacity. The 10 largest banks plan to boost their climate financing by approximately 60%, aiming to reach $120 billion annually by 2030, including an additional $65 billion from private sector contributions.
In a local effort, Zakir Nuriyev, head of the Association of Banks of Azerbaijan, announced on Thursday that the country’s 22 banks would allocate nearly $1.2 billion for projects facilitating Azerbaijan’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
Azerbaijan’s leadership as COP29 President was praised during high-level meetings in Mexico, where the two countries discussed climate diplomacy and the expansion of bilateral ties.
A delegation led by Yalchin Rafiyev, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and Chief Negotiator of COP29, participated in Climate Week in Panama, held from May 19–21, 2025, in Panama City.
With a global outlook and local context, Baku Climate Action Week (BCAW) will convene key stakeholders—from policy and finance to science, culture, and civil society—to help lay the foundations for a successful COP30. This will be the second time Azerbaijan has hosted BCAW.
Azerbaijan's Foreign Ministry has established the Climate Diplomacy Department to strengthen Baku's diplomatic role in the Baku-Belém Roadmap, aiming to foster international cooperation for a significant increase of financial resources to support developing countries.
At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, COP29 President Mukhtar Babayev highlighted Azerbaijan’s climate leadership, unveiling the Baku to Belem Roadmap. The initiative aims to scale climate finance to $1.3 trillion by 2035, with global cooperation to support developing nations.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected an Austrian intelligence report accusing Tehran of pursuing a military nuclear program, calling it “false and baseless,” and demanded an official explanation from Vienna, reaffirming Iran’s commitment to a peaceful nuclear program and criticizing Europe’s silence
Kurdish commander Mazloum Abdi says his forces are in direct contact with Türkiye and open to improving relations, including a potential meeting with President Erdoğan.
The U.S. FDA has approved Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine, mNEXSPIKE, for adults aged 65 and older and those aged 12–64 with risk factors, marking a major step under tighter regulations.
Leaders of Central Asian countries and Italy convened in Astana for the first Central Asia–Italy summit, culminating in the adoption of a Joint Declaration aimed at deepening political, economic, and cultural cooperation.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for May 31st, covering the latest developments you need to know.
AnewZ takes to the streets of Yerevan and Baku to ask a simple yet deeply complex question: How do you see peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan? In the first part of our special report, we hear the hopes, doubts, and scars still shaping people’s perspectives on both sides.
On May 28, the inauguration ceremony of Lachin International Airport was held.
A car drove into crowds of Liverpool fans celebrating the club’s Premier League title in the city centre on Monday evening, injuring dozens including 4 children. A 53-year-old man believed to be the driver was arrested at the scene.
EU ministers have greenlit a massive €150 billion defense investment fund—dubbed the Security Action for Europe (SAFE)—as the bloc ramps up its military readiness in response to Russia’s aggression and growing uncertainty over U.S. security guarantees.
Brazil’s economy is expected to have regained momentum in the first quarter of 2025, driven by a surge in household spending and private investment, according to a Reuters poll of economists conducted from May 21–26.
A massive landslide in southern Switzerland this week buried the village of Blatten and blocked a river, creating a growing risk of flooding. Millions of cubic meters of ice, mud, and rock crashed down from a mountain on Wednesday, flooding the few buildings left in the village.
The Green Climate Fund (GCF)-backed project, “Strengthening Climate Resilience of Vulnerable Agricultural Livelihoods in Southern Iraq” (SRVALI), was officially launched on the sidelines of the 5th Baghdad International Water Conference.
A staggering 4 billion people—half of the world’s population—experienced at least 30 additional days of extreme heat over the past year due to human-induced climate change, a new international study revealed Friday.
The next five years are likely to be the warmest in recorded history, according to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), as rising global temperatures push the planet closer to surpassing key climate thresholds with wide-ranging consequences.
A seabird chick found with 778 plastic pieces inside its body on a remote island between Australia and New Zealand has become a powerful symbol of the global plastic pollution crisis. Scientists say the plastic has caused chronic illness and cognitive decline in the bird, raising urgent concerns abo
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has rejected an Austrian intelligence report accusing Tehran of pursuing a military nuclear program, calling it “false and baseless,” and demanded an official explanation from Vienna, reaffirming Iran’s commitment to a peaceful nuclear program and criticizing Europe’s silence
Kurdish commander Mazloum Abdi says his forces are in direct contact with Türkiye and open to improving relations, including a potential meeting with President Erdoğan.
The U.S. FDA has approved Moderna’s next-generation COVID-19 vaccine, mNEXSPIKE, for adults aged 65 and older and those aged 12–64 with risk factors, marking a major step under tighter regulations.
Leaders of Central Asian countries and Italy convened in Astana for the first Central Asia–Italy summit, culminating in the adoption of a Joint Declaration aimed at deepening political, economic, and cultural cooperation.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for May 31st, covering the latest developments you need to know.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment