The United Nations Climate Change Conference held in Baku, Azerbaijan had the goal of reaching an agreement on climate finance, with wealthy countries pledging $250 billion annually by 2035 to poorer nations. Developing countries are seeking $1 trillion each year by the end of the decade to transition to green energy and adapt to extreme weather. However, negotiations were difficult, and a deal seems unlikely as a draft text lacked details on who should pay and how much. Despite urgent calls for action due to rising temperatures and extreme weather, world leaders, particularly from wealthy nations, were notably absent from the conference.
The absence of leaders like President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping has led to concerns about the lack of symbolic support for climate action. However, U.S. officials reassured attendees that efforts to combat climate change will continue, despite the previous withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Agreement by former President Donald Trump. Some companies, even those in the oil and gas industry, expressed concern about rolling back climate efforts.
There were also tensions at the conference regarding responsibility for funding climate change mitigation efforts. Countries disproportionately affected by climate change blamed major polluters for not covering the costs. Developing nations argued that they should not be economically punished for the historical emissions of wealthier countries. The conference also saw the presence of first-time attendees from Taliban-led Afghanistan, a country highly vulnerable to climate change but facing economic challenges and instability that hinder adaptation efforts.
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