COP29 negotiators strive for deal after G20 ‘marching orders’

BAKU: Negotiators toiled on Tuesday to break a deadlock at UN climate talks after G20 leaders acknowledged the need for trillions of dollars for poorer nations but left key sticking points unresolved.

With three days left in the COP29 conference, ministers haggling in Azerbaijan had been waiting for the G20 meeting in Rio de Janeiro to issue a declaration that might jump-start the stalled negotiations.

Activists and diplomats gave the text a mixed verdict, saying the statement lacked enough direction on climate finance and failed to explicitly mention the need to transition away from fossil fuels.

The lead negotiator of COP29 hosts Azerbaijan, Yalchin Rafiyev, said the G20 statement sent “positive signals” to the efforts in Baku.

“G20 delegations now have their marching orders for here in Baku,” UN climate chief Simon Stiell said in a statement.

“We urgently need all nations to bypass the posturing and move swiftly towards common ground, across all issues,” he said.

Brazil is host of next year´s climate talks in the Amazonian gateway of Belem, and President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva urged good progress in Baku. “We cannot leave the task of Baku until Belem,” Lula told the G20 summit.