A policy forum on development and environmental challenges and policies to “bridge the gap” and “connect the dots” to create one big picture for better understanding and decision-making in the society
COP29 (The 29th Conference of Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)) drew controversy since the first day it was convened. First, the venue of the meeting was located in Azerbaijan, the world’s 18th largest oil exporter and 24th largest oil producer. Second, the event was highly expected from the first day that it would help deliver a replacement of the current climate finance, which remains vague since its birth in COP15 in 2009. This prompted the event to be dubbed as “finance COP”.
The so-called New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance (NCQG) was aimed at reframing the climate finance, which was first set at around US $100 billion a year out of the promises from developed countries to support climate action of developing countries. With climate disasters taking place more intensely, the needs for climate finance, however, are growing five times or more, or at least US $500 billion to one trillion a year.
Last but not least is the so-called “fossil fuel fights”, under which countries lockhorned in the future of what agreed in COP28; “transitioning away from fossil fuels”.
All of these challenges make the issue of climate justice even more critical and challenging as the meeting was unable to reach an agreement as expected. COP countries could reach the new funding at US $350 billion a year and until 2035 the NCQG would be raised to 1.35 trillion a year, with funding drawn from all sectors including business and financial institutions.
This prompted furious debates and dissatisfaction among developing countries, which criticised the COP multilateral system strongly. Some developing countries were seen walking out of the meeting, shaking confidence that COP29 would not be continued and collapse. This is not to mention that “transitioning away from fossil fuels” was barely discussed among the negotiators in this meeting, deeping the rift between developed and developing countries over the responsibility, which remains elusive.
Realising what the outcomes of this COP mean to the future of the planet and people, including Thai citizens, the Dialogue Forum has invited the public to explore Post COP29 and climate justice with the experts and policymakers at the second forum of the series, Post COP29, Climate (In) Justice?, Dialogue Forum 4 l Year 5: Climate (In) Justice?, A Reflection of Civil Society, where they shared their knowledge, views, and insights about the issue and challenges.
Watch the recording here.
The forum was organised by Bangkok Tribune in collaboration with its partners; Decode. plus, Thai SEJ, and SEA-Junction.
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to “bridge the gap” and “connect the dots” with critical and constructive minds on development and environmental policies in Thailand and the Mekong region; to deliver meaningful messages and create the big picture critical to public understanding and decision-making, thus truly being the public’s critical voice