Walking through the halls at COP29, I can feel the intensity of delegates and activists who are laser-focused on finance. Acknowledging the immense financial resources needed to confront climate change, the focus on finance feels both promising and daunting. It raises the stakes but also underscores the gaps we still have to bridge.

COP29 has increasingly been dubbed the “Finance COP,” with a strong focus on setting a new collective quantified goal (NCQG) for climate finance. Since day one, the priority has been pushing for an ambitious climate finance agreement. Amid yet another record-breaking year of global heat and extreme weather events, UN Executive Secretary Simon Stiell urged this year’s negotiations to prioritize a robust climate finance deal for the well-being of all nations. The negotiations are complicated by a trillion-dollar funding need, differing national agendas, and the backdrop of the U.S. election. Regardless, it’s clear that finance is the key to unlocking climate solutions, especially for vulnerable countries that have long called for more support. As we push for climate finance at COP29, I find myself asking: will we prioritize building not just new infrastructure, but also the resilience and peace needed to sustain it?

During the second and third days of COP29, national leaders delivered their statements outlining their climate priorities. As I listened to the speeches, I was struck by how few leaders addressed the critical links between climate, peace, and security. Out of 78 statements delivered by heads of state, only about 10% explicitly linked climate issues to peace and security concerns. These included remarks from countries such as Poland, Jordan, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, Yemen, and Sudan. For many countries, climate action isn’t just about reducing emissions, it’s about preventing conflict and creating stability. In other delivered statements, some countries mentioned peace and security concerns but did not directly link them to climate. For instance, the EU talked about the various countries currently active in the war and that the Paris Agreement should be a peace treaty with nature. Additionally, Kenya, Liberia, and Jordan were among the countries that highlighted displacement as climate-related with the potential to drive conflict. 

The growing evidence of climate impacts on peace and security cannot be ignored. Climate change intensifies resource competition, threatens livelihoods, and drives displacement, all of which can heighten tensions and lead to instability (UNDP, 2023). As we advocate for climate finance, we must recognize that effective solutions must promote environmental and social resilience. Climate finance should help build resilient communities, support peace and cooperation, and reduce pressures that contribute to conflict. I believe security and peace are indispensable to sustaining climate progress that has been made and that must continue to occur. 

As my time at COP29 is approaching a close, I’m hopeful. Yet, there is so much more work ahead. Finance alone won’t solve the climate crisis, but I hope this ‘Finance COP’ leads to a deeper, more integrated approach that views climate action as a pathway not just to resilience, but to sustained peace.

 

References:

United Nations Development Programme (UNDP): Climate Promise. 2023. “What is climate security and why is it important?”

https://climatepromise.undp.org/news-and-stories/what-climate-security-and-why-it-important