Attachments
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) just concluded in Baku with a new climate deal bringing climate finance for developing countries to $300 billion annually by 2035, up from $100 billion.
While a step in the good direction, this is far from enough for people at the forefront of the climate crisis. The stakes have never been higher. This year may be the first to breach the 1.5°C threshold—a limit for containing climate impacts to viable levels.
Climate change, combined with events like El Niño and La Niña, is already driving extreme weather, impacting more than 1.6 billion people in the last five years.
Estimates of the economic losses caused by climate disasters range from US$115-300 billion annually. Low-income countries, with limited response and adaptation capacities, bear the heaviest burden. In Africa, climate change may be costing countries up to 5-10% of their GDP each year.
We must advance climate justice for people in climate hotspots, who contribute the least to global emissions, yet risk being left behind unless we step up to support climate adaptation and resilience building.