Opinion & Analysis

There is no alternative to multilateral climate action

Over the past three decades, the multilateral system has fostered international cooperation and a strong consensus concerning ambitious climate goals. The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Azerbaijan presents a vital opportunity to drive meaningful progress and prove that multilateralism can work.

BAKU – Our world is at a critical juncture. The devastating effects of global warming are increasingly evident, and the crisis is deepening. To mitigate it, we must urgently reduce global greenhouse-gas emissions. Failing to act now will only increase the human and economic toll.

The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan, presents a unique opportunity for effective collective action. Amid heightened geopolitical tensions and global uncertainty, COP29 will serve as a test of the multilateral system on which humanity’s ability to respond to this existential threat depends.

The groundwork for coordinated action was laid in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 with the creation of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), which established the annual Conference of the Parties (COP) to promote consensus-based solutions. The philosophy was simple: given that climate change is a global issue, addressing it requires a collaborative approach.

The UNFCCC fosters cooperation between smaller countries and superpowers, enables civil-society organizations to engage directly with governments, and facilitates cross-border technology transfers. Perhaps most importantly, it provides a framework for collective action in which each country’s efforts encourage others to step up their own.

While the 1997 Kyoto Protocol set binding emission-reduction targets for developed economies, it quickly became clear that more was needed. In response, developed countries pledged in 2009 to mobilize $100 billion annually by 2020 to support developing countries’ climate policies.

The 2015 Paris climate agreement marked a turning point, setting the goal of limiting global warming to 1.5° Celsius above pre-industrial levels and ensuring that the increase stays well below 2°C. To monitor progress, the agreement established a system of nationally determined contributions (NDCs) through which each country outlines its emission-reduction plans. Periodic global audits assess whether countries are on track to fulfill their climate commitments.

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