“Not down for the count – do what it takes”

SOCIETY

Agree – and donate money to the developing countries. That is the call from the UN climate chief Simon Stiell when the COP29 climate meeting begins.

But the election of Donald Trump as the new president of the United States casts a shadow over the meeting.

A new common fundraising goal is at the top of the agenda at this year’s climate meeting. The money, which will be collected by the world’s rich countries, will go to pay for climate measures in poor countries.

The money should not be seen as charity, emphasizes Simon Stiell at the beginning of the meeting on Monday, but is in everyone’s interests.

– If at least two-thirds of the world’s population cannot afford to quickly cut emissions, then all countries will pay a brutal price.

The meeting, which begins on Monday in Baku in Azerbaijan, has been preceded by several world leaders announcing that they will not attend, that the planet is record hot and that emissions are increasing.

The election of Trump affects

The election of the next president of the United States has also marked the beginning. During Donald Trump’s last term, the country withdrew from the Paris Agreement, but under current President Joe Biden, the US rejoined. Trump has promised to once again leave the Paris Agreement. There are also fears that he will try to pull the US out of the entire climate convention, which would have more far-reaching effects.

Simon Stiell notes, without mentioning either the United States or the world’s rising emissions, that these are tough times, but tried to instill courage in the congregation.

– Now is the time to show that global cooperation is not down for counting, but that we do what is required, he says.