The Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Disabled Persons says it will work to ensure that issues concerning Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) are included in awareness campaign on climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Dr Alex Otti, Governor of Abia State
The Chairman, Abia State Commission for the Welfare of Disabled Persons, Mr David Anyaele, said this at a capacity building workshop on disability inclusive climate change response held in Umuahia on Friday, October 11, 2024.
The two-day event was organised by the Centre for Citizens with Disabilities (CCD) to sensitise stakeholders on their roles in inclusive climate change resilience and adaptation in the state.
The stakeholders include the Organisation of Persons with Disabilities, government agencies, civil society organisations, PWDs and the media.
Anyaele said that the commission would engage with relevant agencies, particularly the Ministry of Environment, to ensure that the planned state policy framework response to climate change is disability inclusive.
He said that the commission would further engage with the PWDs to deepen the knowledge they had acquired at the workshop.
According to him, this will help to link PWDs with the relevant agencies responsible for emergency-related activities that may occur as a result of climate change.
Anyaele commended CCD for choosing Abia as one of the pilot states to test its project around climate change and PWDs and initiating the process with empirical evidence.
“It is an evidence that can be tested, measured and reviewed from time to time,” Anyaele said.
He further said that the abridged version of the report from the findings he had received showed that the PWDs were not included in issues concerning climate change.
The Resource Person, Dr Queensley Chukwudum, said the climate change impacts are much more on PWDs due to barriers in mobility and communication.
She equally identified emergency responses and the lack of inclusion in disaster planning and climate governance as additional barriers.
Chukwudum, a Senior Lecturer, Department of Insurance and Risk Management, University of Uyo, presented a lecture on “Climate change mitigation and adaptation mechanism for PWDs in Abia”.
She said that the media should be actively involved in the awareness programme that could give the PWDs a strong voice.
“This is a beautiful awareness programme for PWDs. They have a voice already, but we want to solidify it,” she said.
In separate goodwill messages, the stakeholders expressed commitments to ensuring that PWDs were mainstreamed into their climate change policies and programmes.
Stakeholders in Ojokoro Local Council Development Area (LCDA) in Lagos State on Friday, October 11, 2024, urged the government and residents to prioritise food production above building estates, to curb hunger.
Mr Emmanuel Olotu member representing Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly at a stakeholders meeting on Friday in Lagos
The stakeholders spoke at the Lagos State House of Assembly’s 9th Constituency Stakeholders’ Meeting at Ojokoro in Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency II.
The meeting held simultaneously in all the 40 Constituencies of the state.
The theme of the edition is “Ensuring Food Security for Sustainable Future: Youth Participation and Home-Grown Farming.”
Addressing the stakeholders, Mr Emmanuel Olotu, member representing Ifako-Ijaiye Constituency II at the Lagos Assembly, said that the current hunger had called for a shift of attention to food production above other things.
According to Olotu, the clamour for food sufficiency lately has been on the increase, hence the need for all residents and stakeholders to prioritise food production using all available lands and homes.
He said that addressing food insecurity had become “number one” for the people and all efforts should be concentrated on addressing hike in food prices and scarcity.
Olotu said that as lawmakers, the House had created an enabling environment for farming activities to thrive in the state, especially through the passage of anti-open grazing of livestock Law to protect farmlands.
Calling for home-grown farming, Olotu said that food production systems must be capable of withstanding climate change, economic variables, providing access to healthy food and promoting sustainable practices that preserve national resources.
“To achieve these goals, our farming capacity has to be widened, involving everyone, including the youth with the skills, knowledge and resources to drive agriculture, innovation and entrepreneurship within every community.
“To boost food production and also to force prices down to bearable limits, there is need for strategic solutions and approaches to farming.
“I call on you all our constituents who have landed properties to prioritise using them for agricultural purposes in order to encourage participation in agricultural activities,” the lawmaker said.
Delivery a lecture on the theme, Mr Omolade Balogun said that issues of food production remained a collective business, hence each Community Development Association (CDA) must focus on its area of comparative advantage.
Balogun urged all council chairmen to declare a day for residents to showcase their home-grown food production to encourage residents.
Shakin Agbayewa, the Deputy Chairman, All Farmers Association of Nigeria, Lagos State, said that it was high time more lands were allotted for farm settlements rather than estates, to ensure food security.
“We have to go back to the basis, the policy that state has as regards farm and estate is not ideal, almost all the lands have been hijacked by government or reallocated back to the estate people.
“From Epe to Ikorodu, all you see are now estates. For us to farm now, the government has pushed us into the bush, and this poses security challenge.
“Government should please revisit that policy, allow farmers access to lands. No matter how lofty the idea of the government is without access to lands, we should forget it.
“The government must help us to bring back our farms and ensure security on those farms.
“They should encourage us by working more with the people they are the landlords renting their properties out,” Agbayewa said.
According to him, without food, those in the estates would not live.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Ojokoro LCDA, Hammed Tijani, said that the council remained committed to supporting people interested in food production especially in this economic hardship.
Tijani, who highlighted many of his interventions and achievements, said: “Food production should not be left for the elderly.”
A former Lagos lawmaker, Mr Rasheed Makinde, who decried over-reliance on white collar jobs, said that in advanced countries, many people practise urban farming.
Alhaja Silifat Olujimi, the Iyaloja General of Ojokoro LCDA, noted that residents should not wait until they have hectares of land before doing farming.
The meeting had various community stakeholders in attendance, including traditional, religious and political leaders, youth groups, artisans, among others.
The Lagos State Government says it plans to shape the future of the state as a sustainable, well-coordinated megacity through its upcoming two-day Physical Planning summit.
Lagos State Government officials at the roadshow
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Olumide Oluyinka, said this in Lagos, after a roadshow aimed at promoting the summit scheduled for Oct. 15 and Oct. 16 at Eko Hotel, in Lagos.
The sensitisation roadshow was carried out by officials of the Lagos State Physical Planning Permit Authority (LASPPPA) at Ikeja and its environs on Friday, October 11, 2024.
LASPPPA is an agency under the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.
Oluyinka said the summit, with the theme: “Rethinking Lagos: A New Vision for a Regional and Integrated Megacity”, aims to educate public on the activities, plans and processes in developing Lagos’s master plans.
“Beyond that, we want to be facing reality now, by focusing on the essence of these plans.
“These plans are meant to be implemented within certain period and in line with the set years, like 10 or 20 years.
“Hence the need for us to set targets for ourselves to know what we have achieved within certain stipulated period,” he said.
According to him, the execution of these plans should not be exclusively reserved to the government alone, and as such, the public must be involved in the entire process.
The commissioner added that the ministry, through the summit, was also planning to explore the possibilities of getting foreign investors in the execution and implementation of these plans.
He noted that the future of Lagos as a regional hub depends on the involvement and understanding of all stakeholders, including residents, professionals, and the private sector.
“LASPPPA’s efforts in promoting this event will significantly enhance participation and awareness to the summit.
“The summit is designed to deepen engagement with relevant stakeholders in the built sector.
“It will bring together key stakeholders, including urban planners, architects, developers, and government officials to explore innovative strategies for shaping the future of Lagos as a sustainable, well-coordinated megacity.
“The event which will focus on fostering regional integration, enhancing infrastructure development, and promoting responsible urban growth to meet the demands of a rapidly expanding population,” he said.
In his contribution, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Oluwole Sotire, said that the state government wants all stakeholders in the built sector to appreciate, understand and own the plans, which are for future benefits.
Sotire disclosed that the summit, which is the maiden edition, would now be held annually and reviewed yearly to know and monitor progress made.
The General Manager, LASPPPA, Mr Kehinde Osinaike, also said the summit provides an opportunity to rethink the direction of Lagos development to ensure the state was on track to becoming a fully integrated and sustainable megacity.
On his part, the Head of the Department of Monitoring and Compliance, LASPPPA, Mr Iyiola Olarinde, said the roadshow was organised to complement the media campaigns and also engage directly with residents and businesses across Lagos.
The State Governor, Mr Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, will be the Chief Host of the summit.
Former Governor of Lagos State and past Minister of Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Raji Fashola, is also expected to deliver a keynote address at the event.
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Abia State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) have sensitised disaster management stakeholders to proper waste management and flood preparedness in Abia.
Director-General of NEMA, Zubaida Umar
The campaign, tagged “Awareness Campaign on Waste Management and Flood Disaster Mitigation and Response Programme,” held on Friday, October 11, 2024, in Umuahia, the state capital.
The awareness campaign, led by NEMA’s Owerri Operations, witnessed active participation from various disaster management sectors, including the ministries of Environment, Health and security agencies.
Others included the Federal Road Safety Corps, state Fire Service, the Nigerian Red Cross Society, Abia State Environmental Protection Agency (ASEPA) and civil society organisations.
In their presentations, the stakeholders expressed their state of preparedness to address environmental challenges and building resilient communities in Abia.
The stakeholder engagement featured a panel discussion on SEMA’s preparedness from 2024 Flood Prediction by Nigeria Meteorological Agency and Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency.
Some of the key takeaways were: collaboration among various sectors for effective waste management and flood preparedness, community education and use of technology in information dissemination.
The Head of Operations for NEMA Owerri/Abia, Mr Nnamdi Igwe, said it was a public sensitisation to enable the people know the need for waste management and flood disaster mitigation.
“We called the stakeholders together to let them know their roles when it comes to flooding or disaster without waiting for the Federal Government.
“It is only when these things overwhelm them that they can call on the Federal Government to come in,” he said.
Igwe urged individuals to know how to take care of their environments as well as proper waste disposal, to mitigate the impact of flood disaster.
Also, Executive Secretary of (SEMA), Dr Sunday Jackson, said the sensitisation workshop came up as a result of the opening of the lagoon with the recent incident in Maiduguri and some parts of the North.
“If we don’t sensitise our people, we may be taken unawares because the flood has already gotten to Lokoja in Kogi State.”
He said that NEMA and SEMA started the campaign on Thursday, by going to the markets and other places to speak to the people on why they should observe flood safety net and about the impending flood disaster.
He said that the inputs from the stakeholders would be documented to form a baseline data for the state.
“We will come up with a policy that has to do with emergency response in the state,” Jackson said.
A participant, Mrs Ugo Nwabuko, who is the Director, Waste Management and Laboratory Service, ASEPA, lauded the organisers, saying “all stakeholders should be involved in disaster management”.
The SPDC Joint Venture partners have signed a Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement (GSPA) for the $3.5 billion Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company Limited (BFPCL) project.
The Minister of Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo (middle), with Partners at the SPDC JV/Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Company Limited Gas Sales and Purchase Agreement signing on Friday in Abuja
The SPDC JV partners, comprising NNPC Ltd, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), TotalEnergies Ltd. and Eni would supply 270 million standard cubic feet of gas daily (270MMscfd), to develop the $3.5 billion project in Bayelsa State.
The BFPCL is the largest single GSPA to any domestic gas offtaker in Nigeria.
The signing of the agreement between the SPDC JV partners and BFPCL held on Friday, October 11, 2024, in Abuja was supervised by the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas), Mr Ekperikpe Ekpo.
Expo said it was expected that, within the shortest possible time, the BFPCL and its partners would achieve Financial Close and commence actual construction of the methanol project.
He said the project would spur needed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and create thousands of jobs for the teeming population, while changing the fortunes of the host state and communities.
The minister urged all parties to operationalise the GSPA and realise the Brass Methanol Project to inspire more of such projects towards cementing Nigeria’s position as the Gas Processing Hub for Africa.
In his remarks, Amb. Nicholas Ella, Permanent Secretary in the ministry, said the project would generate more than $1.5 billion annually from exports of fertilisers, petrochemicals and other gas-based products.
“This agreement represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to monetise Nigeria’s vast gas reserves, which currently stand at over 209 trillion cubic feet (tcf).
“In addition to boosting exports, the project will reduce fertiliser imports by 30 per cent, saving Nigeria approximately $200 million in foreign exchange annually,” he said.
Ella said it was projected to contribute around $600 million annually to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), with a broader economic impact of up to $2 billion per year and growth in related industries.
“This initiative is closely aligned with Nigeria’s commitment to achieving zero routine flaring by 2030 and advancing the goals of the National Gas Policy by fully utilising our gas resources for sustainable development,” he said.
Gov. Douye Diri of Bayelsa State, who expressed satisfaction with the project, said the state was open for investment and ready to ensure that youth were meaningfully engaged.
Represented by Ebieri Jones, Commissioner for Trade, Industry and Investment, Diri urged prospective investors to tap into its vast potential and peaceful business environment.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of the BFPCL, Dr Ben Okoye, emphasised the need to unlock Nigeria’s gas deposits promptly, citing the urgency to utilise gas before it becomes less relevant.
The NNPC Executive Vice President, Upstream, Mrs Oritsemeyiwa Eyesan, while commending the president on the executive order, an enabler for the success of the project, said the parties were aligned and ready to execute the project.
The partners also expressed readiness in implementing the project and thanked the minister for his pivotal role in breaking the impasse that delayed the signing of the agreement since 2015.
The event was attended by representatives of the partners including Mr Osagie Okunbor, Managing Director, SPDC; Mr Abiodun Afolabi, Executive Director, Strategy and Business, TotalEnergies; Mr Fabrizio Bolondi, Vice Chairman/Managing Director Eni; and Mr Ed Ubong, Coordinating Director, Decade of Gas.
Some stakeholders in the agricultural sector have called for Federal Government’s support for agroecology to enhance production of healthier food and to ensure environmental sustainability in Nigeria.
Agroecology
The stakeholders made the call on Thursday, October 10, 2024, in Abuja, at the second regional workshop on agroecology organised by Bread for the World (Brot für die Welt) a German development organisation.
The workshop is titled: “Advancing Agroecology in Nigeria: Building Pathways for Sustainable Agriculture.”
In the keynote address, Mrs Joyce Brown, Programme Director, Health of Mother Earth Foundation (HOMEF), explained that agroecology as a practice, includes different farming methods like mixed cropping, crop rotation, cover-cropping among others.
According to her, agroecology increases biodiversity, reduces need for chemical inputs and ensure increased productivity while enhancing Nigeria’s food system resilience.
Brown said that strict application of the principles of agroecology would also protect the environment as it is in line with nature.
She explained that agroecology focuses on building soil health through appropriate farming practices including agroforestry and use of organic fertilisers.
Brown said that adoption of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) does not have any advantage over agroecology but rather poses more health and environmental risks.
A GMO is a plant, animal or microorganism that has had their genetic material modified in a way that does not occur naturally through a process called genetic engineering.
Brown said that GMOs have implication from biodiversity loss as a result of intensive chemical use, loss of indigenous seed varieties, health and cultural implications as well as labelling issues.
According to Brown, agroecology on the other hand strengthens local economies, ensures rural development, energy and water efficiency, environmental conservation and increased food productivity.
Stakeholders at the event recommended that the Federal Government should develop and implement an agroecology policy built on practical solutions and successes.
They also highlighted the need to integrate agroecology into national agricultural plans and develop appropriate institutions to drive organic and agroecological farming in Nigeria.
The stakeholders further called for more training for farmers, extension workers, and policymakers as well as establishment of farmer field schools and demo plots for peer learning.
In his remarks, Prof. Olugbenga Adeoluwa of the Department of Soil Resource Management, University of Ibadan, said that agroecology is not averse to new technology.
He, however, said that just like guns and bombs, not all technologies are safe for human and environmental consumption.
“Many people that are supporting GMOs do not understand the underlying agenda which is business, control and monopoly.
“We should understand this and not be fooled,” he said.
Also, Mr Andrew Kwasari, President of Sa’l’anwaraTumal Consultaire Limites (SCI) an agro firm, stated that there was need to have in-depth research and conversations around improved seeds.
In a significant development in the carbon credit industry, the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) has unsealed charges against two individuals involved in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme, with potential implications for projects in Zimbabwe.
The clean cookstoves imported under the N9.2 billion Federal Government project several years. The US case involves manipulating data to exaggerate the success of cookstoves projects in reducing carbon emission
On October 2, 2024, the DOJ announced charges against Kenneth Newcombe, 77, of Santa Barbara, California, and Tridip Goswami, a resident of India.
The pair are accused of orchestrating fraud within the carbon markets through their company, CQC Impact Investors LLC.
The charges allege that Newcombe, CEO of CQC, and Goswami, Head of CQC’s Carbon & Sustainability Accounting Team, along with others, fraudulently obtained carbon credits worth tens of millions of dollars and secured an investment exceeding $100 million through deceptive practices.
CQC’s involvement in Zimbabwe adds a layer of international concern to the case.
The company’s website touts cookstove projects in the African nation, describing Zimbabwe as “in urgent need of a fuel efficient clean cookstove programme.” CQC claims to have laid groundwork for a 200,000-stove programme in Zimbabwe in 2019, including obtaining government approval and conducting a pilot project.
The fraud allegedly involved manipulating data to exaggerate the success of cookstove projects in reducing carbon emissions.
In one instance, when survey data from projects in Malawi and Zambia showed lower-than-expected emission reductions, the conspirators reportedly agreed to “revise” the results, enlisting an outsider to fill out fraudulent survey forms.
The scheme also allegedly involved misrepresenting the number of operational stoves in CQC’s projects to a carbon credit issuer, referred to as “Issuer-1” in the indictment.
This misrepresentation allowed CQC to claim more Verified Carbon Units (VCUs) than warranted.
The DOJ claims that Newcombe’s aggressive expansion of CQC’s cookstove projects from 2020 led to significant quality issues, including poor installation practices and false claims of stove installations. Instead of addressing these issues, the defendants allegedly conspired to conceal the problems from Issuer-1.
U.S. Attorney, Damian Williams, said: “As alleged, Kenneth Newcombe and Tridip Goswami, among others, engaged in a multi-year scheme to fraudulently obtain carbon credits by using manipulated and misleading data. They then sold those credits to unsuspecting buyers in the multi-billion-dollar global market for carbon credits.
“The alleged actions of the defendants and their co-conspirators risked undermining the integrity of that market, which is an important part of the fight against climate change. Protecting the sanctity and integrity of the financial markets continues to be a cornerstone initiative for this Office, and we will continue to be vigilant in rooting out fraud in the market for carbon credits.”
The alleged fraud extended beyond carbon credits.
Newcombe and others at CQC are accused of deceiving an investor into agreeing to invest up to $250 million in the company, including a personal windfall for Newcombe of over $16 million for his shares.
Both Newcombe and Goswami face multiple charges, including wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, commodities fraud conspiracy, and commodities fraud.
Newcombe faces additional charges of securities fraud conspiracy and securities fraud. If convicted, they could face significant prison sentences, with some charges carrying maximum terms of up to 20 years.
In a related development, Jason Steele, 47, of Arlington, Virginia, CQC’s former Chief Operating Officer, has pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, commodities fraud conspiracy, and securities fraud conspiracy for his role in the scheme.
His sentencing date is pending.
This case highlights growing concerns about the integrity of the voluntary carbon market, which has been seen as a key tool in combating climate change.
It also raises questions about the impact on projects in countries like Zimbabwe, where such initiatives are viewed as crucial for both environmental and economic development.
The Zimbabwe government has been a vocal proponent of Africa’s voluntary carbon credit markets, viewing them as potentially transformative for the continent’s economies.
This fraud case may cast a shadow over such aspirations and potentially impact investor confidence in similar projects across Africa.
As the legal proceedings unfold, the case is likely to draw attention from environmental activists, investors, and policymakers worldwide, potentially leading to calls for stricter oversight and regulation of the voluntary carbon market.
The Federal Government has praised Savannah Energy, the British independent energy company focused around the delivery of “Projects that Matter”, for its substantial investment in Nigeria’s energy sector to date, saying that it appreciates what the company is doing, and encourages Savannah to sustain it.
L-R: Managing Director, Savannah, Nigeria, Pade Durotoye; Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo; Head of Stakeholder Relations and Regional Manager, South East, Savannah, Nigeria, Nkoyo Etuk; and Operations Superintendent, Savannah, Nigeria, Chukwudoziem Umunna, during the visit of the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas) to Savannah’s gas processing facility in Uquo, Akwa Ibom State
Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Gas), Ekperikpe Ekpo, made the commendation during a recent visit to the Uquo gas Central Processing Facility in Akwa Ibom State, which is owned by Accugas Limited, a subsidiary of Savannah.
He said that Savannah’s substantial investment to date has helped in boosting domestic gas supply in the country, where Savannah now supplies gas enabling approximately 20% of Nigeria’s thermal power generation capacity.
Commenting on the importance of gas to the Nigerian economy, the Minister stated that President Bola Tinubu is intent on developing the gas sector to drive the Nigerian economy.
He said: “The President is very intentional and strategic about developing the gas sector to drive the economy of this nation. We know that if the economy of Nigeria is driven by gas, it will make things easier and that is the target of the ‘Decade of Gas’ initiative. Our target is to make sure that by 2030, the Nigerian economy will be driven by gas.”
The Managing Director of Savannah Energy, Nigeria, Pade Durotoye, who accompanied the Minister on the Uquo visit, explained that the company, through Accugas Limited, has invested over US$1.6 billion in gas processing and transportation infrastructure to support the domestic market since 2014.
Durotoye said: “Accugas is also investing an additional US$45m in a new compression system at the Uquo facility that will allow the company to continue to provide reliable gas supplies to customers for years to come. The system comprises two parallel trains with a capacity of 160 MMscfpd each and is designed to increase the gas export pressure. The project is expected to be completed and operational later this year.”
Durotoye added that Savannah strongly supports the Federal Government’s adoption of natural gas as a transition fuel in Nigeria’s net-zero pathway, particularly for power generation, adding that this is why Accugas has invested in building a nameplate 200 MMscfpd gas processing facility, supported by a ~260km gas pipeline network solely for the domestic market.
Durotoye stated that all the company’s gas is consumed domestically, with 80% being sold to thermal power generation companies, and the remainder to a range of large industrial customers, such as cement producers, where, for example, Accugas enables about 10% of the country’s cement production.
UN’s Preliminary Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (Pre-COP29) commenced on Thursday, October 10, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan.
Global leaders and delegates at the UN’s Preliminary Conference of the Parties on Climate Change (Pre-COP29) in Baku
Pre-COP provides a platform for Parties to advance climate negotiations ahead of the 29th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), set to take place in November 2024.
Discussions at the conference, themed “Strengthening Ambitions and Ensuring Action”, are focusing on making progress on key priorities before COP29, including climate finance, specifically the New Collective Quantified Goal, mitigation, adaptation, and supporting vulnerable communities in global climate solutions. The conference will last until October 11.
The opening ceremony was attended by Mukhtar Babayev, COP29 President-designate; Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, President of COP28; Amina Jain Mohammad, UN Deputy Secretary General; Simon Stiell, Executive Secretary, UN Framework Convention on Climate Change; and Nabeel Munir, Chairman of the Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI).
In an address delivered on his behalf by COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev, President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan emphasised the importance of agreeing an NCQG at COP29 that “meets the needs of the developing, least developed and small island developing states” and represents a “substantial increase” over the prior goal.
President Aliyev noted that reaching this goal would require the collaboration of the international community. “Neither Azerbaijan in its capacity of the COP29 Presidency, nor any other state, can take decisions on behalf of others. Our role is to provide the platform for facilitating negotiations, which we believe we have been fulfilling impartially,” he said.
“As we are entering into the final stage of preparations to the COP29, I call on you to engage constructively and in good faith for the sake of humanity. While states have common but differentiated responsibilities, they should put aside disagreements, stop blaming each other and find common ground. We cannot afford to waste time on defining who is guilty for global warming, or who caused more environmental harm.”
In his own address at the opening ceremony, President-Designate Babayev recognised the progress made, while also calling for participants to act with urgency and use the Pre-COP meeting to build the foundation for a successful outcome at COP29.
“We are building bridges and momentum, but we need much more,” said COP29 President-Designate Mukhtar Babayev. “We make progress when we come together, put differences aside, and engage in open and honest dialogue.”
He then added: “The purpose of this session is to prepare for success at COP29. Given the complexity and high stakes involved in the mandated agenda items, we cannot afford to leave too much to be decided at the summit.”
The COP29 President-Designate also set out clear goals for each priority. Speaking about the NCQG, which Azerbaijan has identified as the top negotiating priority for COP29. He noted that “we are seeing some signs of possible convergence on certain elements of the goal. We want to focus on where we can build a solid foundation to help support discussions on other elements.”
He also frankly identified the need to “take seriously the responsibility for identifying a number over a timeframe and come forward with solutions. Qualitative elements of the goal such as transparency and accessibility are also essential to ensuring that the goal is both fair and ambitious.”
The President-Designate also outlined goals for each of the other top negotiating priorities, including concluding work on Article 6 as a much needed priority “crucial for directing financial and technical resources”, turning pledges into signed contributor agreements to the Fund for responding to Loss and Damage, attracting “significantly greater contributions” to all funds, including the Green Climate Fund and the Adaptation Fund, and responding to the call of the UAE Consensus to transition away from fossil fuels in a just and orderly manner.
The Baku Global Climate Conference COP29 will be a crucial test for both the Paris Agreement and multilateralism, the COP29 President said, adding that the Azerbaijani presidency is committed to an inclusive, transparent, and impartial COP29.
Babayev emphasised that since being elected as the host of COP29, Azerbaijan has organised numerous meetings where the importance of immediate transition from words to actions was emphasised.
“Throughout the year, the COP29 presidency has listened to the problems, concerns, and priorities of everyone. In the first six months after COP28, the economic consequences of extreme weather conditions reached $41 billion. From Typhoon Yagi in Southeast Asia to Hurricane Milton in the USA. Everyone is suffering, and the cost of inaction is growing. We believe there is broad agreement with the COP29 presidency’s vision aimed at increasing ambition and intensifying action. We have also launched the COP29 Action Programme in addition to the official process,” he said.
The COP29 declaration will be made public in the coming days, while Azerbaijan is also working on the next document on nationally determined contributions, Babayev disclosed.
It is planned to complete work on Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, Babayev said, adding that more efforts need to be made, and proper funding for the loss and damage compensation fund should be ensured.
“We are working on the next document on Azerbaijan’s contributions. We must make progress on all topics. We must also make progress on issues beyond negotiations. The COP29 declaration will be published in the coming days. Pre-COP29 is an important event, so we are raising all the issues that concern us,” he said.
Babayev emphasised that the COP29 presidency has already appointed contact persons at the ministerial level to help us overcome gaps and make progress.
“We need to increase political representation. Authorised ministries should join COP29. Within the framework of COP29, success or failure will be joint, each of us has our own role. We can hold a joint COP29. We can make joint investments and secure the future,” he concluded.
UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Jane Mohammed, expressed gratitude to the Azerbaijani presidency of COP29 for their contribution to achieving common agreements.
“I want to thank the government of Azerbaijan, the COP29 presidency, as well as COP28 and the troika (of chairs) for the entire difficult journey we have taken to reach common agreements,” she said.
She noted that the world is already on the verge of exceeding global temperature rise above 1.5 degrees, with such horrifying consequences as Hurricane Milton being observed.
According to Mohammed, people still have hope as the global community is taking various measures to combat this.
“COP29 must build on this momentum and turn ambitions and commitments into real economic results. In November, you must agree on a new ambitious climate finance goal that will match the scale of the challenge facing developing countries,” she said.
The world is already on the brink of exceeding global temperature growth above 1.5 degrees, with such terrifying consequences as Hurricane Milton being observed, UN Deputy Secretary-General said.
According to Mohammed, people still have hope as the global community is taking various measures to combat the issue.
“COP29 must build on this momentum and turn ambitions and commitments into real economic results. In November, we must agree on a new ambitious goal in climate financing that will match the scale of the problem facing developing countries,” she said.
The global community must maintain its determination in the fight against climate change, the spirit of compromise and global solidarity, she added.
According to her, the outcomes of COP29 on collective quantitative accounting and climate financing will be an important test of the international community’s commitment to ensuring the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).
She called on the global community to work together to achieve a lasting agreement, as “the world desperately needs it.”
“We need something that will give people hope again, and that could be better than solving the climate change problem that the global community is facing. The actions we take in the next 13 months will be crucial. And it’s important for us to be bold in our aspirations while acting urgently,” she said.
The government and people of the UAE wish success to the government and people of Azerbaijan ahead of COP29, COP28 president, Sultan Al-Jaber, said.
Al-Jaber noted that the world community should build on the success achieved in Dubai last year at the current COP29.
He called on countries to unite again, take action and achieve results, adding that after what has been achieved, countries have no right to retreat.
According to the COP28 president, issues of financing should be discussed at the upcoming COP29.
Finance is the most important, he said, noting that finance was the cornerstone of the UAE consensus.
At COP29, the new collective quantitative goal should provide the means to implement the UAE consensus, Al-Jaber said, noting that the volume agreed upon should match the scale of the problem.
He emphasised that these funds should be directed to support the most vulnerable populations to ensure their resilience to climate change and help in combating its consequences.
The activity of the COP Troika of Presidents, aimed at maintaining the momentum achieved at COP28, is a critically important factor for success, Al Jaber said at a panel discussion session.
He noted that through joint efforts, this momentum should transition from COP28 to COP29, and then to COP30. He emphasized that support from the global community is necessary to achieve results.
“We must cooperate to ensure that each NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions – ed.) has the highest possible ambitions, is balanced across all components, and has the potential for implementation,” he said.
Al Jaber stressed that only through the efforts of the international community will it be possible to ensure fairness in climate progress.
Financing is one of the most important topics in terms of the climate agenda, Simon Stiell, executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), said.
He noted that COP29 should become a stimulating conference, contributing to the achievement of concrete results: “This will help bring to life the commitments made last year as part of the historic consensus in the UAE, and benefit the real economy. It’s obvious that finance plays a key role in achieving concrete results this year.”
Stiell noted that COP29 should also ensure ambitious results on Article 6.
“It’s time to carry out this work honestly, efficiently, and in good faith. When I say that this COP should be stimulating, I also mean that it should increase the effectiveness of the work that each government must now conduct on the critical policy instruments provided for in the Paris Agreement,” he said.
He emphasised that global cooperation is the only way to achieve results.
“The decisions we have to make will determine how we can ensure the opportunity for all countries to achieve their climate goals,” he said.
Stiell also called on the global community and parties to cooperate, and expressed hope that Pre-COP29 will help achieve results and become the basis for the upcoming session.
“Cooperation has always been humanity’s strongest asset, especially in those moments when we implement solutions taking into account people’s needs,” he concluded.
Nabeel Munir, Chair of the UNFCCC’s Subsidiary Body for Implementation (SBI), has said that the world is currently experiencing the hottest year in history.
He noted that glaciers are melting as a result of the heat. Munir stated that there is a need to take bold steps and build bridges:
“Only in this way can we solve the problems,” he added.
In the lead up to Pre-COP, the COP29 Presidency also convened an informal Heads of Delegation meeting on October 8 in Baku, followed by the formal High-Level Ministerial Dialogue on the NCQG on October 9. Another Heads of Delegation meeting is scheduled for October 12.
The COP29 Azerbaijan Presidency says it will spare no effort to act as a bridge between developed and developing nations and steer the process to a successful outcome at COP29.
“COP29 will be a defining test for both the Paris Agreement and for multilateralism,” stated President-Designate Babayev. “The world is watching, and history will judge us on the outcomes we achieve. Success or failure at COP29 will be collective and each of us has a role to play. We must all offer the best of ourselves.”
Azerbaijan calls on all parties to sign a final climate transparency agreement at COP29, COP29 lead negotiator, Yalchin Rafiyev, said at a side event during the UN Pre-Conference of the Parties on Climate Change 2024 (Pre-COP29) on Thursday, October 10, 2024, in Baku.
COP29 lead negotiator, Yalchin Rafiyev
COP29 will be held in Baku from November 11 to 22, 2024
Rafiyev noted that, as part of the preparation for COP29, the Azerbaijani presidency will hold a ministerial-level meeting on global transparency of climate actions in the coming weeks.
The lead negotiator also emphasised the importance of joint efforts with global partners.
“This is an extremely important period for all of us in terms of ensuring transparency in the climate sphere. We call on all parties to cooperate in order to achieve more significant results in this direction. In this regard, I am convinced that all stakeholders should effectively use their resources to achieve concrete results,” he said.
The outcomes of COP29 on collective quantitative accounting and climate financing will be an important test of the international community’s commitment to ensuring the implementation of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), UN Deputy Secretary-General, Amina Mohammed, said during a panel session at the Pre-COP29 in Baku.
She called on the global community to work together to achieve a lasting agreement, as “the world desperately needs it.”
“We need something that will give people hope again, and that could be better than solving the climate change problem that the global community is facing. The actions we take in the next 13 months will be crucial. And it’s important for us to be bold in our aspirations while acting urgently,” she said.
The global community must fight climate change and cope with its consequences, Festus Ngeno, secretary of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change of Kenya, said at a panel session during the Pre-COP29 in Baku.
He said that although climate adaptation was previously considered a local problem of individual countries, now the world community has agreed that the problem has taken on a global character and requires cooperation from the global community.
“The African Union and its regional economic communities have institutional mechanisms to accelerate coordination and cooperation in overcoming climate risks,” he said.
The global community needs to develop a model for unified management of climate actions, Firdaous Oussidhoum, the special advisor to the Secretary General of the World Organisation “United Cities and Local Governments,” said during a panel session at Pre-COP29).
According to her, in addition to working within international organizations, it is necessary to intensify actions at the regional level.
The balance between the global community and regional governance in climate action issues is very important and is a key to success, she said. Oussidhoum called on parties for immediate action in the fight against climate change.
“The price of inaction is becoming too high. Too high in terms of human casualties and too high in terms of cost,” she noted.
She also emphasised that the Loss and Damage Fund should become the main pillar in helping to adapt and implement climate actions.
Ensuring transparency of climate actions can help understand climate change, and the main goal is to involve youth and children in this process, Leyla Hasanova, the youth climate champion for COP29 in Azerbaijan, said at a side event within the framework of the Pre-COP29 conference.
She said transparency is key to assessing the effectiveness of climate plans for children and youth around the world: “And it can really provide young people with an opportunity to participate in climate processes.”
Hasanova recalled that, as part of an initiative implemented this year as the chair of COP29, a summer camp for young educators on combating climate change was organized jointly with UNDP in Azerbaijan.
“We successfully held a camp for 75 young educators from 35 countries around the world. We brought them together, and we had amazing three-day trainings where they received detailed information about climate change, why it’s happening, and how young educators can cope with it, return to their countries, and educate their children, youth, and students,” she noted.
The youth climate advocate also emphasised that transparency would become the cornerstone of mutual trust and accountability as parties strive for more ambitious national climate plans in the run-up to COP29 and beyond.
Azerbaijan, as part of its chairmanship of COP29, has raised the discussion of climate action transparency to a high level, Presidential Advisor – Special Representative of the President of Kazakhstan for International Environmental Cooperation, Zulfiya Suleymanova, said at a side event during the Pre-COP29 on Thursday, October 10, 2024, in Baku.
According to her, “Azerbaijan has taken the bold step of truly trying to create a unified platform” that helps better coordinate its actions with existing platforms in the field of climate transparency.
“I hope that this transparency process will really help to intensify actions [in the field of climate change] and continue to build confidence in the process and, of course, trust between all stakeholders,” she said.
She also expressed hope that many will submit their biennial transparency report before the COP29 climate conference, which will be held in November in Baku.
The global community must intensify efforts in combating climate change and provide their national reports while continuing to develop, Francesco Corvaro, Italy’s special envoy for climate change, said at a round table within the Pre-COP29 in Baku.
He noted that it is difficult to maintain the dynamics of development and transparency in addressing climate issues at the same level.
“COP29 is trying to create synergy between all initiatives. We must help all parties in need. Italy is ready to support countries both in climate reporting and capacity building,” he added.
Each COP session is based on previously reached agreements. COP30, which will be held in Brazil, will also use the agreements reached at COP29, Andre Correa do Lago, Secretary for Climate, Energy and Environment at the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, has said.
“Brazil, as one of the parties of the Troika, plays a special role in the Pre-COP29 event. The United Arab Emirates (UAE), Azerbaijan, and Brazil are now working together. Because at the last COP, we came to the conclusion that we cannot start each conference from scratch. Now we are closely coordinating activities with the presidencies of Azerbaijan and the UAE. Brazil is here as a partner who wants to help prepare the work that will be completed in Belem,” he noted.
The Brazilian official also emphasised that if real climate measures are taken, the 1.5°C target can be achieved:
“We need to convince the world of the necessity of reaching this target. It’s very difficult to convince people without scaring them. However, even fear doesn’t work. We didn’t achieve results by repeatedly saying that we would be in a bad situation. Therefore, it’s necessary to combine scientific reality with optimism, based on the fact that people can make many mistakes but can also find solutions. I hope that we can achieve this balance in Baku and Belem.”
Correa do Lago stated that the world expects good results from the COP29 climate conference in Baku.
“Unfortunately, today most people are focused on what multilateralism is unable to achieve. We must ensure the strengthening of multilateralism within the framework of the event we are holding. I think we will always emphasize the importance of the consensus reached in the UAE last year (within the framework of COP28), and we expect a similar result here in Baku,” he said.
He noted that it is necessary to do everything to strengthen multilateralism and Brazil can be relied on in this matter.
Climate change goals can only be achieved through international cooperation, Grace Fu Hai Yen, the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment of Singapore, said at the Pre-COP29 event, themed “Enhance Ambition and Enable Action” held in Baku on Thursday, October 10, 2024.
According to the minister, international cooperation is very important for her country: “Singapore has signed agreements with a number of countries in the field of carbon technology. Of course, there are risks in the implementation of these projects. But we also highly value the advantages of these projects.”
The minister stated that there is a need to attract innovative financing: “We are insistent on this issue. At the same time, we should also involve private companies in decarbonisation projects.”
Any climate action begins with science, and based on this, the European Union subsidises science, European Commissioner for Climate Action, Wopke Hoekstra, said at a panel session during the UN Preliminary Conference of the Parties on Climate Change 2024 (Pre-COP29).
“We have also provided extensive funding for climate science, working together with many parties, primarily with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. By doing so, we want to emphasise that this should be the concern of the entire international community,” he said.
Hoekstra emphasised that the European Union aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 90% by 2040, while relying on the resilience of the population and the competitiveness of businesses.
“We are very eager not only to continue moving along this ambitious path but also to cooperate closely with the entire global community to ensure that we are moving in the right direction,” he concluded.
At a panel session during the 2024 Pre-COP29, Nigar Arpadarai, the UN High-Level Climate Champion for COP29, emphasised the crucial role of the private sector in achieving the set climate goals.
She said climate finance would be insufficient without the active participation of the private capital.
“We need the private sector,” Arpadarai stressed.
However, she pointed out that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are often lagging behind in this regard.
“This is another goal we want to achieve. Because small and medium-sized enterprises are the real economy, they provide 90% of economic growth,” she added.
