By Anna Bohushenko, Aliya Wedelich
On September 22, 2024, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Pact for the Future, which U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described as “about turbocharging the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement, accelerating a just transition away from fossil fuels, and securing a peaceful and livable future for everyone on our planet.” With this pact, Heads of State and government made 56 pledges aimed at protecting the needs and interests of present and future generations in the face of climate change, crises, and conflicts gripping the globe.
The pact was adopted without a vote at the start of the two-day Summit of the Future, after nine months of negotiations.
Iryna Ponedelnik, a CAN EECCA Board member from Belarus, commented:
“On behalf of civil society in the region of Eastern Europe, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, I welcome the adoption of this pact. We are pleased that the nine months of effort from government representatives, researchers, and activists, who worked on this document from various angles, have paid off. It’s great to see countries making commitments.
We’re especially glad to see a whole chapter dedicated to the role of young people and children, recognizing us as agents of change. Youth participation is crucial in the fight against climate change, and this is exactly what CAN EECCA focuses on in our region. Let’s not be mistaken: the Pact for the Future is not a replacement for the Agenda 2030 and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs); rather, it serves as a reminder that 2030 is fast approaching, and we need to accelerate our efforts to achieve the SDGs. The pact provides another reason for governments to revisit the 2030 Agenda and push forward with its implementation.”
While framed as “the most wide-ranging international agreement in many years, covering entirely new areas as well as issues on which agreement has not been possible in decades,” the Pact for the Future, in terms of climate change response, repeats the same weak language seen at last year’s COP28. There are only two pledges primarily concerned with climate change among the pact’s 56 declared actions: strengthening actions to address climate change and accelerating the reform of the international financial architecture to meet the urgent challenge. Moreover, rather than committing to the urgent phase-out of fossil fuels, the document only suggests “transitioning away from fossil fuels in energy systems, in a just, orderly and equitable manner” , which, in our understanding, implies a more gradual reduction in the use of fossil fuels. This approach is insufficient to address the climate crisis.
Quote from the Pact for the Future
Action 9: We will strengthen our actions to address climate change.
28: We are deeply concerned about the current slow pace of progress in addressing climate change. We are equally deeply concerned about the continued growth in greenhouse gas emissions, and we recognize the importance of implementing and supporting measures for developing countries. The increasing frequency, intensity, and scale of the adverse impacts of climate change, particularly on developing countries, especially those most vulnerable, is alarming. In pursuit of the objectives of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement, we reaffirm the importance of accelerating action in this critical decade, based on the best available science, reflecting equity, and the principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities, considering different national circumstances and in the context of sustainable development and efforts to eradicate poverty.
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The term “transitional fuels” in Action 9 of the pact (“(d) Recognize that transitional fuels can play a role in facilitating the energy transition, while ensuring energy security”) is particularly concerning. Investments in infrastructure for such fuels could lead to a prolonged dependency on fossil fuels, delaying the just transition to energy efficiency and renewable sources.
Olha Boiko, CAN EECCA Coordinator, added:
“The UN Pact for the Future could have been a refreshing wake-up call for world leaders. Instead, it reaffirmed already existing commitments and included some problematic statements about so-called ‘transitional fuels.’ The climate crisis is unfolding with unprecedented brutality, fueled by coal, gas, oil, and authoritarian decision-making. At COP29, we need to see much bolder language, which should lead to even bolder actions from world leaders.”
It seems that the most innovative aspect of the pact regarding climate action is the intention to phase out fossil fuel subsidies, outlined in the same pledge of the Pact (“(c) … phasing out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that do not address energy poverty or just transitions, as soon as possible”). This is especially relevant for EECCA, with six countries rank among the top 25 globally for the highest share of GDP allocated to fossil fuel subsidies. Such subsidies do not contribute to the just transition of communities that currently depend on these fossil fuels.
Quote from the Pact for the Future:
Action 52: We will accelerate the reform of the international financial architecture so that it can meet the urgent challenge of climate change.
80: Climate change and biodiversity loss exacerbate many of the challenges facing the international financial architecture and can undermine progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals. Developing countries should have access to finance to pursue their interconnected objectives of achieving sustainable development, including poverty eradication, promoting sustainable, inclusive, and resilient economic growth, and addressing climate change. Investment in sustainable development and climate action is essential. The international financial architecture should continue to channel and increase additional financing towards both sustainable development and climate action. Developing countries face increasing financing needs, especially those particularly vulnerable to the adverse impacts of climate change, leading to a growing demand for finance.
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It is disappointing that, in terms of climate change response, this pact reflects existing global climate plans and declarations. By emphasizing the inadequacy of current joint actions to halt the rise in global temperatures, it reinforces the same ineffective narratives that have previously failed to bring about significant change.
