The first week of COP28 concluded on December 7. Preliminary estimates suggest approximately 70,000 participants from around the world attended this year’s conference, including 2,500 from the fossil fuel lobby. You’ll learn about these and other important details in our recap of the first week of UNFCCC negotiations in Dubai.
The conference’s inaugural day achieved a decision to establish a Loss and Damage Fund. Wealthy nations collectively pledged just over $700 million to the Fund, amounting to less than 0.2% of the estimated irreversible economic and non-economic losses facing developing countries due to global warming. While these pledges represent a baseline level of tangible action, the contributions fall short of the substantial financing required to address the impacts of climate change on developing nations.
A High-Level Summit convened on December 1-2, during which presidents and other world leaders made pledges to combat the climate crisis. Leaders from the EECCA region also announced their commitments and positions.
Throughout the first week of the conference, world leaders shared their views and expectations concerning the global review‘s outcome through a series of roundtable discussions. In total, 29 heads of state and government, 21 ministers, 10 senior officials, three UN organizations, and eight non-governmental organizations participated in these events.
During the initial week, as many as 8 declarations were adopted, receiving support from the EECCA countries.
Ukraine and Moldova, alongside 20 other nations, signed an agreement to triple the utilization of nuclear energy. CAN EECCA deems it necessary, conversely, to forgo nuclear energy projects as they will not aid in resolving the climate crisis.
123 countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, have endorsed the Global Commitment on Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency. The accord calls for tripling global renewable energy capacity to at least 11,000 GW by 2030, considering differing starting points and national circumstances. Furthermore, the declaration pledges to collectively double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements from approximately 2% to over 4% per year until 2030.
134 countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Ukraine, ratified a declaration on sustainable agriculture, sustainable food systems, and climate action. Key objectives include upscaling adaptation and resilience measures for farmers and food producers, prioritizing sustainable practices and nature preservation. The declaration also emphasizes the necessity of enhancing food security and nutrition, integrated water resources management, maximizing climate and environmental benefits, and transitioning towards more sustainable approaches in agriculture and food systems.
123 countries, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, and Tajikistan, have committed to the Climate and Health Declaration to enhance health outcomes and readiness for climate change impacts. The declaration underscores the importance of bolstering health systems’ capacity to anticipate and address climate-sensitive health risks, as well as the broader effects of climate change on mental health, traditional knowledge, livelihoods, and population displacement. Additionally, it advocates for addressing inequalities, promoting sustainability in the health sector, and fostering interdisciplinary research and collaboration to advance progress on the climate-health nexus.
74 countries have adopted a voluntary commitment, the Climate Relief, Recovery, and Peace Declaration, aimed at expanding climate adaptation efforts and financing accessibility for communities and nations confronting instability, conflict, or heightened humanitarian needs due to climate change. The declaration also seeks to enhance knowledge and policy solutions for climate action in such contexts, and promote collaboration among humanitarian, development, climate, and peace stakeholders to tackle the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change.
A joint statement from the Azerbaijani Presidential Administration and the Armenian Prime Minister’s Office underscores a historic opportunity for peace in the region. Specifically, as a gesture of goodwill, the Republic of Armenia withdraws its candidacy, endorsing Azerbaijan’s bid to host the 29th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP29) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. In reciprocation, Azerbaijan supports Armenia’s candidacy for membership in the Eastern European Group COP Bureau, underscoring their commitment to collaborative climate action as a crucial aspect of regional reconciliation.
Finally, at the close of the first week of COP28, the Russian leader “unnoticed” landed just 150 kilometers away. However, the purpose of this visit was not an international forum but a meeting on fossil fuel extraction and export.
