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COP29 unfolded against the backdrop of a record-hot year and increasingly extreme weather events, but it was overshadowed by political divisions and fossil fuel lobbying.

BAKU: After weeks of tense negotiations at COP29, nearly 200 nations reached a new climate agreement early Sunday, committing wealthy countries to provide $300 billion annually by 2035 to help poorer nations combat the escalating impacts of climate change. However, the figure was widely criticized as inadequate.

The agreement came after chaotic negotiations marked by boycotts, political disputes, and a strong presence of fossil fuel interests. Talks nearly collapsed when representatives from vulnerable small island states and Least Developed Countries (LDCs) walked out on Saturday. Eventually, the deal was finalized more than 30 hours past the deadline.

“This new finance goal is an insurance policy for humanity,” said Simon Stiell, head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC). But the pledged amount falls far short of the $1.3 trillion that experts estimate is necessary. India’s representative, Chandni Raina, called the $300 billion a “paltry sum,” while Marshall Islands envoy Tina Stege criticised the talks for “political opportunism” and fossil fuel influence.

The deal focuses heavily on climate finance, requiring wealthy nations to provide funding through public and private channels. However, it only “encourages” contributions from richer emerging economies like China and Saudi Arabia, leaving developing nations concerned about debt traps from loan-based assistance.

COP29 unfolded against the backdrop of a record-hot year and increasingly extreme weather events, but it was overshadowed by political divisions and fossil fuel lobbying. More than 1,700 fossil fuel representatives attended, outnumbering most country delegations.

Climate activists slammed the summit for falling short. “This was meant to be the finance COP, but the Global North betrayed the Global South,” said Tasneem Essop of Climate Action Network. Despite the outcome, calls for greater accountability and increased funding persist.

“In a multilateral process, there should not be winners and losers. However, at COP29 in Baku, the winners were the largest economies and the biggest emitters, while the most vulnerable countries were sidelined, with minimal ambition on climate finance and emissions reductions,” said Manjeet Dhakal, advisor to the Chair of the LDC Group on UNFCC affiliation. “ It is absolutely crucial to ensure that climate action in vulnerable countries is adequately resourced, and that the world stays on track to limit the global temperature rise to 1.5°C — the minimum goal called for by Least Developed Countries and other climate-vulnerable nations.”

‘Outraged and Deeply Hurt’

In a statement issued after the conclusion of COP29, The LDC Group – that represents 45 poorest countries of the world, said they are  outraged and deeply hurt by the outcome of COP29. “Once again, the countries most responsible for the climate crisis have failed us. We leave Baku without an ambitious climate finance goal, without concrete plans to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C, and without the comprehensive support desperately needed for adaptation and loss and damage. This is not just a failure; it is a betrayal,” the Group said.

“The just ended UN Climate Change Conference has proven what we feared: the voices of our 1.1 billion people have been ignored. Despite exhaustive efforts to collaborate with key players, our pleas were met with indifference. This outright dismissal erodes the fragile trust that underpins these negotiations and mocks the spirit of global solidarity. The bulldozed New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) is a glaring symbol of this failure,” the LDC Group said.

This outcome is a travesty. It sacrifices the needs of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable to protect the narrow interests of those who created this crisis. It prioritizes profits and convenience over survival and justice, the statement said.