West African Alliance COP29 Debrief

From November 11 to 22, 2024, the 29th Annual Conference of the Parties of the UNFCCC was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. World leaders, negotiators and diverse stakeholders met to discuss pressing climate issues and decide on key matters. The results of COP29 showcased a combination of progress and impasses.

Based on discussions held inside and outside the negotiating rooms, the WAA convened an Alliance members’ meeting to provide a brief on the relevant outcomes of COP29 to all WAA countries. The following points were presented:

• Operationalization of Article 6: Following nearly a decade of challenging and contentious discussions, COP29 marked a pivotal achievement with the full implementation of Article 6, celebrated as the “Baku Breakthrough” and recognized as a defining moment of the conference. This milestone is crucial to move forward with the operationalization of Article 6.
• The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG): Replacing the previous annual climate finance target of $100 billion, the NCQG aims to mobilize at least $300 billion annually by 2035 for developing nations, with developed countries expected to take the lead. However, this decision sparked mixed reactions, as many developing countries criticized it for lacking ambition.

Other outcomes:

• Progress on the GGA, GST, and MWP.
• Activities beyond formal negotiations.