UN Climate Talks ‘No Longer Fit for Purpose,’ Warn Key Experts

Leading climate experts criticize the effectiveness of UN climate talks, urging reforms to address urgent environmental challenges more effectively. 

Key experts, including a former UN secretary-general and a previous UN climate chief, have stated that the United Nations’ COP climate talks are “no longer fit for purpose” and require an urgent overhaul.

In a letter to the UN, senior leaders assert that countries opposing the phase-out of fossil energy should not be allowed to host the talks.

This week, during the COP29 gathering in Azerbaijan, the Azerbaijani president addressed world leaders, stating that natural gas is a “gift from God” and expressing that he should not be faulted for making it available on the market.

This occurred just days after the BBC reported that a high-ranking Azerbaijani official seemingly leveraged his position at COP to set up a meeting focused on potential fossil fuel agreements.

In recent years, the UN’s climate discussions have achieved notable progress, even though action requires unanimous agreement from nearly 200 countries.

The Paris Climate Agreement, established in 2015, sets forth a long-term strategy aimed at curbing global temperature increases as nations work to limit the rise to below 1.5°C this century.

They have also agreed to phase out fossil fuels in energy systems and triple the use of renewable power by 2030.

However, although the authors of this letter acknowledge these accomplishments, they believe that the sluggish COP process is “no longer fit for purpose” in addressing a rapidly evolving climate crisis.

“The present structure is incapable of achieving the change at the exponential speed and scale necessary for a safe climate future,” stated its signatories. Among them are former UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon, former UN climate chief Christiana Figueres, and Mary Robinson, former President of Ireland.

This year is expected to be the warmest on record, as emissions of greenhouse gases continue to increase and the impacts of climate change frequently surpass countries’ capacity to manage them.

“Planet Earth is in a critical state,” stated Johan Rockström, a prominent climate scientist and one of the signatories.

Professor Rockström stated that there remains a window of opportunity for humanity to achieve a safe landing. However, this demands the implementation of a global climate policy process capable of effecting change at an exponential speed and scale.

The letter was prompted by increasing concerns regarding the selection of certain countries to host COP talks and their capability to achieve substantial progress in combating rising temperatures.

Shortly before the most recent conference began, a covert recording revealed Elnur Soltanov, the chief executive of Azerbaijan’s COP29 team, talking about “investment opportunities” in the state oil and gas company with an individual pretending to be a prospective investor.

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At the beginning of COP29, Ilham Aliyev, Azerbaijan’s authoritarian leader, justified the nation’s ongoing gas exports and announced plans to increase production by one-third over the next decade.

“It’s a blessing from God,” he mentioned to the audience in Baku.

“Natural resources encompass everything from oil and gas to wind, solar energy, gold, silver, and copper,” he said.

Countries should not be blamed for possessing and supplying these resources to the market, as they fulfill essential needs.

The burning of oil and gas significantly contributes to global warming by releasing planet-warming gases such as carbon dioxide.

President Aliyev also criticized France for engaging in colonial “crimes” and committing “human rights violations” in its overseas territories.

It’s uncommon for the leader of a COP host to express such strong views, as their goal is typically to foster consensus on addressing rising temperatures.

The letter’s authors are also troubled by the process of selecting COP hosts. Azerbaijan succeeded another major oil producer, the United Arab Emirates, which hosted the conference in Dubai last year.

“During the most recent COP, there were more fossil fuel lobbyists present than representatives from scientific institutions, Indigenous communities, and vulnerable nations,” stated Christiana Figueres, former UN climate chief.

Achieving a just transition necessitates major reforms to the COP process to guarantee fair representation for those most impacted.

The authors state that host countries “need to showcase a strong commitment to achieving the objectives of the Paris Agreement.”

They are advocating for shorter, more regular COPs that include clear mechanisms to hold countries accountable for their commitments.