The Azerbaijani government, which is hosting this year’s COP29 U.N. climate summit, has announced its intention to fund the participation of negotiators from climate-vulnerable small island nations at the event, as revealed by a senior official involved in COP29.
In the upcoming United Nations climate summit scheduled for November, nations are expected to establish new financial targets aimed at assisting poorer countries in addressing climate change—an issue of critical importance for island nations threatened by rising sea levels.
Baku has proposed to cover the travel, accommodation, and other expenses for four delegates from each Small Island Developing State (SIDS). This includes the head of the delegation and three additional officials, according to the anonymous COP29 official.
“We will do our best to ensure the participation of those countries in need,” the official stated, characterizing the initiative as an effort to make the discussions more inclusive.
COP29 is set to occur in Baku from November 11 to 22. The official did not disclose the total funding amount involved. Approximately 40 SIDS are involved in U.N. climate negotiations.
Rising hotel prices in host cities during annual U.N. climate summits have been a frequent concern among delegates in recent years. Delegates from developing nations often rely on various funding sources, including support from the U.N. climate body, regional organizations, and bilateral donors, to facilitate their participation.
Small island countries wield significant influence in global climate negotiations, consistently advocating for more ambitious actions to combat climate change. At last year’s COP28 summit in Dubai, nations agreed to “transition away from fossil fuels,” following pressure from SIDS, the European Union, and others who sought a stronger commitment to “phase out” such fuels. This compromise faced opposition from several oil and gas-rich Gulf States.
As the host of COP29, Azerbaijan, an oil and gas-producing republic in the Caucasus, has yet to announce its approach to implementing last year’s fossil-fuel agreement. Currently, the majority of Azerbaijan’s energy is derived from fossil fuels, although the government aims to diversify its energy sources to include renewables like wind and solar.
