Are COP Talks “Fit For Purpose”?

To the surprise of no one but the future anguish of many, COP29 did not yield the kind of agreement that science says is necessary to avert climate catastrophe. We know this thanks to diligent reporting by journalists on the scene in Baku, including video dispatches that journalists from some of our partners filed to CCNow.

Progress at COP29 was so stymied by fossil fuel interests that a group of climate luminaries including Christiana Figueres , a key architect of the Paris Agreement in 2015, publicly released a letter calling the COP process “no longer fit for purpose.” Looking ahead to COP30, which Brazil will host, the letter called on the UN to more strictly regulate fossil fuel company involvement and “exclude countries [from hosting COPs] who do not support the phase-out/transition away from fossil energy.”

This is an intriguing storyline for journalists to explore in the months ahead, especially given that the US will soon be governed by a president who promises the opposite of a fossil fuel phase-out. Will the UN, whose secretary-general, António Guterres , has been such an outspoken critic of fossil fuel obstructionism, join the call for reform? What specific criteria might be applied to who can attend future COPs? Would excluding petrostates truly produce better outcomes? Or might it simply give those states procedural cover for ignoring future COP decisions?

One COP29 bright spot that didn’t get as much news coverage as it deserved was a unilateral pledge by Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, to stop burning coal by 2040. But no agreement was reached on the larger imperative of implementing COP28’s pledge for a global “transition away from fossil fuels.” And the world’s 20 richest economies also declined to endorse such a transition in the final communique of the G20 summit, which overlapped with COP29.

The COP29 shortcoming that got the most attention concerned the ever-vexing issue of finance. It’s been a truism since the 1992 Earth Summit, which set in motion annual COPs, that rich countries’ outsized emissions are disproportionately responsible for global warming, while poor countries suffer disproportionately from the impacts — and rich countries therefore should help poor countries adapt to those impacts and shift to non-carbon energy. But not until 2009 did rich countries agree to provide $100 billion a year in climate aid. Not until 2022 did they actually deliver that much aid, and, even now, most of it comes as loans, not grants.

Poor countries were outraged that COP29 commits rich countries to provide only $300 billion a year by 2035. Accounting for inflation (which makes 2009’s $100 billion worth $147 billion today), $300 billion represents a doubling of the original commitment. But the cost of adapting to ever more frequent and severe extreme weather and switching to clean energy sources has increased much faster than inflation, rising to at least $1 trillion a year, according to numerous analyses. Rich countries implicitly accepted this estimate by pledging to increase the total aid to $1.3 trillion. But since they’re counting on private investors to make up the $1 trillion shortfall, the pledge rings hollow.

Whether the UN negotiating process is reformed in time for COP30 or not, accountability journalism remains crucial. Telling the climate story so the public understands that this crisis has solutions is a big part of our job. So is holding governments accountable for putting those solutions into practice.

From Us

Talking Shop: What Happened at COP29? On Wednesday, December 11, at 11am US Eastern Time (4pm GMT), join CCNow and expert journalists to discuss key outcomes and takeaways from the UN’s climate summit. Panelists include The Guardian ’s Fiona Harvey , Dialogue Earth América Latina ’s Fermín Koop , and Climate Tracker ’s Biena Magbitang . Register now.

Locally Sourced. The latest edition of Locally Sourced, CCNow’s biweekly newsletter for local journalists, digs into warming winters. Parts of the US have seen up to an 8-degree-Fahrenheit increase in average seasonal temperatures since 1970 — bringing not just fewer snowy holidays but far-reaching impacts to agriculture, health, and the economy. Check out all our Locally Sourced newsletters and sign up.

CCNow on BlueSky. Check out our curated list on BlueSky of journalists covering climate. Follow us and drop us a note to be added to the list.

Noteworthy Stories

Plastics breakdown. UN talks meant to yield an ambitious treaty to limit plastics pollution failed early this week in Busan, South Korea. Despite efforts by more than 100 countries to secure such a deal, a “vocal” and “well-coordinated” group of petrostates, including Russia and Saudi Arabia, scuttled proceedings. Plastics are a byproduct of fossil fuels and a significant revenue stream for the oil and gas industry. By Matteo Civillini for Climate Home News…

“Dollars out the door.” With a second Trump administration fast-approaching, the Loan Programs Office at the Department of Energy is racing to put money in the hands of clean-tech projects across the US, including EV and EV battery production facilities. The office’s future seems on shaky ground, but experts say that already-committed funds are less likely to come under scrutiny from new leadership. By Akielly H. for Canary Media…

Rising temperatures, rising premiums. New analysis shows “tight correlation” between rising home insurance premiums and regions of the US where climate change is taking the greatest toll. Sharp graphics from the Guardian illustrate the mounting costs of climate change for homeowners; meanwhile, the highest echelons of government in the US are poised to dismiss the climate threat. By Oliver Milman , with graphics by Andrew Witherspoon for the Guardian…

Worsening inequity. In the wake of recent devastating storms like Hurricane Milton, research finds that the system for distributing relief aid, meant to pull communities back from the brink of devastation, is in fact adding fuel to the fire of historic inequities. While communities of color typically wind up worse off after storms, white communities often end up wealthier than they would have been had no storm occurred at all. By Amy Green for Inside Climate News…

Fast and dangerous. Climate change boosted the speeds of every single Atlantic hurricane in 2024, with warmer ocean water fueling faster, more dangerous storms. In fact, data shows just a 10% increase in speed can lead to 50% more destructive power. By Melissa Nord for 11Alive News in Atlanta…

Events & Resources

The Uganda-based nonprofit Climate Women Media Action has a guide for beginner environmental reporters, produced with input from experienced climate and environmental journalists across the African continent.

Carbon Tracker is out with a new analysis of corporate emissions targets for the world’s largest oil and gas companies, which are not aligned with Paris Agreement goals, especially when it comes to methane emissions. The report makes special note of the risk it could pose to these companies and their investors to remain behind pace of the clean energy transition. Carbon Tracker will hold a launch webinar diving into the report on Tuesday, December 17, at 3pm GMT (10am US Eastern Time).

Project Drawdown is hosting a webinar to discuss driving climate solutions forward, in a future where federal powers will likely be hostile to climate action, on Wednesday, December 18, at 12pm US Eastern Time (5pm GMT).

Jobs, Etc.

POLITICO ’s E&E News is hiring a climate finance reporter and an energy and public lands reporter (Arlington, Va.). Noema Magazine is hiring a senior editor (Los Angeles, Calif.). Sierra Club is hiring for its early-career, six-month environmental journalism fellowships (Oakland, Calif., or remote). The Center for Climate Integrity is hiring a social media manager (remote) for both CCI and its ExxonKnews accountability reporting project.

Submissions are open for the IRE Awards, from the nonprofit organization Investigative Reporters and Editors . The entry deadline is January 15.