Trade tensions, funding among COP29 challenges

COP29 in Baku faces challenges from global conflicts and climate finance disputes, with urgent calls for action as temperatures approach critical thresholds.

The UN Climate meeting (COP29) opens on Monday in Baku, Azerbaijan, against a backdrop of unprecedented global challenges and environmental milestones. The conference faces multiple headwinds: Donald Trump’s victory in the US presidential election, ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza, and deepening disagreements over climate finance between developed and developing nations.

The stakes are particularly high as 2024 is set to become the first year when annual average temperatures breach the critical 1.5°C threshold above pre-industrial levels. (AP)

The stakes are particularly high as 2024 is set to become the first year when annual average temperatures breach the critical 1.5 degree Celsius threshold above pre-industrial levels. For