The COP29 climate negotiations currently underway at Baku, Azerbaijan, were supposed to have concluded on Friday, November 22 but, as COP meetings typically do, they have got extended to Saturday. 

As of Saturday afternoon IST, negotiations were stuck, seemingly intractably, as the positions of the developing and developed countries are, not surprisingly, irreconcilable.  

In essence, the developing countries want “$1.3 trillion” as the target for funds to be mobilised for financing climate action projects in developing countries—an annual target that will replace the current “$ 100 b” watermark and is to be achieved by 2035—under the head ‘New Collective Quantified Goal” (NCQG). But the farthest the developed countries are willing to go is $300 billion. Even this is after an earlier offer for $ 200 billion was derided by developing countries; the Bolivian negotiator, Diego Pacheco asked if it was “a joke”. 

Against this backdrop, some 335 civil society organisations (NGOs) have written two letters—one each to the developing and the developed countries. 

In the letter to the developing countries, represented by the G-77+China grouping, the NGOs have expressed their wholehearted support to them for rejecting the current negotiating text. 

No deal is better than a bad deal 

A thought that is emerging among the developing countries is that no deal is better than a bad deal under NCQG. The letter supports this. 

“This text is absolutely unacceptable and gives the developed countries a complete exit from their obligations to provide climate finance for developing countries. We urge you to stand up for the people of the Global South and we insist: no deal in Baku is better than a bad deal, and this is a very, very bad deal because of the intransigence of developed countries. If nothing sufficiently strong is forthcoming at this COP we urge you to walk away from the table to fight another day, and we will fight the same fight,” the letter said. 

Deeply outraged 

In the other letter, which handed over to Trigg Talley, Special Presidential Envoy for Climate and Director of Climate Negotiations and Programs, US Department of State, says that “The global civil society and the millions of members behind us are deeply outraged in your destructive role in creating an absolutely unacceptable NCQG draft negotiating text on this final day of COP29.” 

Here is the text of the letter: 

We understand that you will interpret this text as a complete exit from any legal obligations to provide climate finance for developing countries, as agreed in the UN Climate Convention and the Paris Agreement. You are blocking progress in Baku due to your demands that developing countries do more to reduce emissions while failing to deliver the finance and technology that are needed to reduce emissions, adapt to the impacts of climate change, meet the costs of Loss and Damage and a just and equitable transition to greener and fairer societies. 

You claim to champion a rules-based system, yet flout the rules when they don’t suit your interests, putting at risk billions of people and life on earth. We will not allow you to run away from your legal responsibilities but instead urge you to take the lead in transitioning from fossil fuels and providing public funding and technology to developing countries. You are required to fulfill your commitments under the Paris Agreement, and Climate Convention and we demand you deliver them fully here in Baku. If this COP ends with a weak or nonexistent outcome, you will be the ones to blame. And we will hold you responsible both here and when we go home.” 

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