COP29 Summit Faces Criticism and Uncertainty Amid Major Absences

The climate conference in Azerbaijan sees key leaders missing and debates over fossil fuels and climate finance intensifying.

The COP29 climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, is marked by the absence of leaders from the top polluting countries, including the U.S., China, and India.
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev defended his country's oil and gas industry, calling fossil fuels 'a gift from God,' while committing to a green transition.
The U.S. delegation, led by John Podesta, emphasized ongoing climate efforts despite the impending transition to a Trump administration, which has threatened to exit the Paris Agreement.
Negotiations at the summit focus heavily on increasing climate finance for poorer nations, with discussions of raising aid to $1 trillion annually.
A breakthrough was achieved in establishing standards for a global carbon market, seen as a tool to aid developing countries in meeting climate targets.