The 29th Conference of the Parties (COP29), held in Baku, Azerbaijan, has rekindled discussions about the structural inadequacies of the COP process. While the global policy framework to combat climate change is robust, the persistent rise in global emissions, degradation of carbon sinks, and worsening climate impacts demand a shift from negotiation to action.
These challenges have prompted prominent climate leaders, including former Secretary-General of the United Nations Ban Ki-moon, former President of Ireland Mary Robinson, and Director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Action Research Johan Rockström, to issue an open letter urging systemic reforms to the COP process.
Key Reforms Suggested in the Open Letter
The letter, dated November 15, 2024, outlines a seven-point plan for COP reform:
1. Eligibility for COP Presidencies: Exclude countries reliant on fossil fuel economies from hosting COPs to ensure high ambition toward the Paris Agreement goals.
2. Streamlined Action-Focused COPs: Transform COPs into smaller, frequent meetings to benchmark and accelerate climate action based on the latest science.
3. Accountability Mechanisms: Strengthen the Global Stocktake process with independent scientific oversight and transparent tracking of national pledges.
4. Climate Finance Clarity: Establish standard definitions for climate finance and robust mechanisms to track and ensure equitable distribution.
5. Permanent Scientific Advisory Body: Integrate a dedicated advisory body within COP, akin to the Convention on Biological Diversity’s scientific mechanisms.
6. Linking Social and Planetary Stability: Appoint a Climate-Poverty Policy Envoy to address the intersection of climate justice, inequality, and ecological degradation.
7. Representation Equity: Address the imbalance caused by fossil fuel lobbyists overshadowing vulnerable nations at climate negotiations.
Moreblessings Chidaushe, WaterAid’s regional advocacy manager based in South Africa, has called for a “radical reset” of the COP process, highlighting its growing inaccessibility and exclusivity. Speaking to Euronews Green, she emphasized that what should exemplify global cooperation now excludes Indigenous peoples, local communities, and smaller economies from meaningful participation.
“These groups, including frontline communities in Southern Africa facing deadly droughts and floods, are denied influence over COP29 outcomes despite their firsthand knowledge of climate needs,” she said.
Chidaushe urged all UNFCCC parties to re-center COP discussions around those most affected by climate change, removing financial and practical barriers to attendance and empowering local and Indigenous leadership. She warned that without prioritizing these voices, failure is inevitable.
Laurence Tubiana, head of the European Climate Foundation, responded to the open letter on COP reform with a nuanced perspective. She acknowledged the frustrations surrounding the slow pace of multilateral climate negotiations, especially given the urgency for accelerated action.
However, Tubiana emphasized the critical importance of multilateralism as the foundation of climate progress saying, “The Paris Agreement was reached because all countries – large and small, rich and poor – were included. Its legitimacy stems from its multilateral nature.”
Tubiana conceded that reforms are necessary, particularly in strengthening accountability, improving delivery, and amplifying the voices of frontline and subnational actors. Nevertheless, she cautioned against sidelining the consensus-building process, which fosters trust and legitimacy.
She also defended the rotating COP presidency system as an essential feature that allows all countries to lead while highlighting the responsibility of host nations to act impartially and uphold scientific integrity.
In her view, COPs must remain venues for collective climate action rather than platforms for individual sectors to advance agendas counterproductive to climate progress. Misusing the presidency role, she warned, could undermine international credibility and weaken the trust necessary for global cooperation.
