Activities of Secretary-General in Azerbaijan, 11-15 November
The United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres arrived in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Monday, 11 November, to attend the twenty-ninth meeting of the Conference of the Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, also known as COP29.
On Monday afternoon, he was briefed by his climate action team and the Executive Secretary General of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Simon Stiell. He then met with the President of Azerbaijan, Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev. He also met with COP President, Mukhtar Babayev.
On Tuesday, 12 November, he addressed leaders during the opening ceremony of the World Leaders Climate Action Summit of COP29. The Secretary-General told leaders that we are in the final countdown to limit global temperature rise to 1.5°C and time is not on our side. He added that this is a story of avoidable injustice. The rich cause the problem; the poor pay the highest price. The richest billionaires emit more carbon in an hour and a half than the average person does in a lifetime.
The Secretary-General told leaders it’s time to deliver and he highlighted three priorities: emergency emissions reductions, protecting people from the ravages of the climate crisis, and delivering on climate finance. “On climate finance, the world must pay up, or humanity will pay the price,” he said. See Press Release SG/SM/22447.
The Secretary-General then met with Wopke Hoekstra, the European Commissioner for Climate Action. This was followed by a meeting with the Vice President of Brazil, Geraldo Alckmin, and then by a meeting with the Crown Prince of Jordan, Hussein bin Abdullah.
The Secretary-General then spoke at the High-Level Dialogue on Loss and Damage, where he said that the creation of the Loss and Damage Fund is a victory for developing countries, for multilateralism, and for justice. But its initial capitalization of $700 million doesn’t come close to righting the wrong inflicted on the vulnerable. To put this into perspective, $700 million is roughly the annual salary of the world’s 10 best paid footballers. The Secretary-General said we must get serious about the level of finance required, including by increasing the lending capacity of the Multilateral Development Banks so they are fit to respond to the climate crisis. See Press Release SG/SM/22448.
He also spoke at Africa’s Green Momentum event, where he underscored the importance of making sure that Africa’s minerals that are critical to the renewables’ revolution are not exploited unfairly. Instead, we must embed justice, fairness, sustainability and human rights across the critical minerals value chain, he said. See Press Release SG/SM/22449.
On Tuesday evening, he met with the President of the Government of Spain, Pedro Sánchez Pérez-Castejón. This was followed by a meeting with the First Lady of Türkiye, Emine Erdoğan, and then a meeting with John Podesta, Senior Advisor to the United States President for International Climate Policy.
That night, the Secretary-General attended the Head of State dinner for COP29.
On Wednesday morning, the Secretary-General met with the Vice Premier of China, Ding Xuexiang. He then spoke at the High Ambition Coalition meeting where he said that the next 12 months must get us on the right path: to reduce emissions 9 per cent every year until the end of this decade to keep 1.5°C alive; to accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels; to unlock finance, fund loss and damage, and boost adaptation. See Press Release SG/SM/22455.
He then met with the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). See Press Release SG/SM/22453.
This was followed by his intervention at his event on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, where he said that we must turn the energy transition towards justice. As demand for critical minerals surges, we must avoid making the mistakes of the past. “We see a rush for resources, with communities exploited, rights trampled, and environments trashed; developing countries ground down to the bottom of value chains, as others grow wealthy on their resources,” he said. The Secretary-General added that his panel on this subject aims to empower communities, create accountability, and ensure that clean energy drives equitable and resilient growth. See Press Release SG/SM/22454.
The Secretary-General then met with the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva. This was followed by his remarks to the Small Island Developing States Summit, where he told countries that they are suffering a colossal injustice that sees their future threatened by climate change, including rising seas.
In the afternoon, the Secretary-General met with the Africa negotiating group. This was followed by a meeting with the Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Mikhail Mishustin. He then met with the negotiating group for Least Developed Countries, and then with the President of Iraq, Abdullatif Jamal Rashid.
In the evening, he spoke at his event on Convening on Early Warnings for All and Call to Action on Extreme Heat event where he said that in this era of climate catastrophe, early warning systems and protection from extreme heat are not luxuries. They are necessities and sound investments. See Press Release SG/SM/22452.
On Thursday, 14 November, the Secretary-General spoke at the convening on non-state actors net-zero credibility and transition plans event, where he urged all non-State actors to create robust, accountable transition plans by COP30 next year. “Now is the time to fast-track, not backtrack. The time for ambition and transparency. Not greenwashing,” he said. See Press Release SG/SM/22456.
He then met with a group of climate scientists, who briefed him on the latest findings and figures on climate change. After this meeting, he met with the Director General of the International Renewable Energy Agency, Francesco La Camera.
The Secretary-General then met with his Youth Advisory Group. This was followed by a larger meeting with youth representatives and then a meeting with representatives from civil society organizations.
The Secretary-General left Baku on Friday morning, 15 November, for Brazil to attend the annual G20 meetings there.
(Click on this link for photos of the above events: https://www.flickr.com/photos/unfccc/albums)