Host for the COP29 confirmed
COP29 in 2024 will take place in Azerbaijan. After Russia used its veto right to prevent the event from being held in Eastern Europe, the nations agreed on Azerbaijan.
After Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, this means that another country whose economy is largely based on the export of oil has won the COP presidency.
Source: The Guardian, Fridays For Future
OPEC Secretary General calls for a boycott of the fossil fuel phase-out in a leaked letter
In a leaked letter, the Secretary General of OPEC (Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries) called on the 13 OPEC countries to boycott the oil and gas phase-out.
The letter, which was published by various newspapers, calls on the member states to actively oppose the phase-out of fossil fuels. This resistance could jeopardise the current negotiations at COP28 for a fossil fuel phase-out.
On 7 December, the COP28 presidency and the International Energy Agency (IEA) reaffirmed the 1.5°C target. However, the new climate protection index from Germanwatch and NewClimate warns that no country is yet on track to meet the 1.5°C target.
The upcoming negotiations are therefore crucial for the coming years. European politicians and climate activists fear that the influence of oil and gas lobbyists could prevent a phase-out of fossil fuels in the final days of COP29.
Source: WDR, Germanwatch, Fridays For Future, COP28
Youth Day
On 8 December, the “Youth Day” took place at the COP. On this day, various events were organised to strengthen the voices of young people in climate negotiations. The main aim was to draw attention to the fact that education plays a crucial role in tackling the climate crisis.
In the run-up to COP28, the UNFCCC and COP28 presidencies endorsed a “Global Youth Declaration”. It states that children have a right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment. The declaration includes calls for a “just, equitable and safe transition to phase out fossil fuels” and more financial support for vulnerable communities to cope with the effects of climate change.
Source: Fridays For Future, COP28