Wazzup Pilipinas!?
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (UNFCCC) is the global platform for climate action, with its primary aim to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations to a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Since its establishment in 1992, the UNFCCC has produced pivotal agreements like the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement, which commit state parties to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and address climate change mitigation, adaptation, and finance. The annual Conference of the Parties (COP) is where these agreements are negotiated and implemented. The presentation covered the key outcomes of COP29, highlighting the pledges made to various funds and setting new collective quantified goals for climate finance. A central theme of these discussions is the interconnectedness of climate change with other global crises, a concept known as the triple planetary crisis of climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution.
UN Institutions & Inter-Governmental Decision Making
The UN, founded in 1945 by the UN Charter, is the backbone of global peace and security. It operates through six main bodies: the General Assembly (UNGA), Security Council (UNSC), Secretariat, International Court of Justice (ICJ), Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC), and the Trusteeship Council. The UN also includes 15 specialized agencies, such as the World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which function autonomously.
With 193 sovereign member states, the UNGA provides a platform for equal representation and voting rights. Major milestones in its history include the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1946), the Earth Summit (1992), and the establishment of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Decision-making within this complex framework relies on debate, negotiation, and often, consensus.
Climate and Health at COPs
The intersection of climate change and global health has become a critical focus at recent COPs. COP26 saw more than 80 countries committing to climate-resilient and low-carbon health systems, along with the launch of the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate Change and Health (ATACH), hosted by the WHO. COP27 further elevated this by providing high-level financing for ATACH and establishing a Global Youth Forum on Health and Climate Change. This momentum continued at COP28, which featured the first-ever climate and health ministerial meeting and led to the COP28 Declaration on Climate and Health, endorsed by 148 countries.
COP29: Outcomes and Expectations
The presentation spotlighted COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, which hosted 67,000 delegates. The key expectation for COP29 was a "Climate Finance COP" result, aiming for a New Collective Quantified Goal for Climate Finance to enable greater ambition. This included building on the Global Stocktake (NDCs) from COP28 to enhance collective ambition. The Baku Climate Unity Pack emerged as a key outcome, with pledges for UNFCCC-related funds, including a goal of raising $1.3 trillion by 2035. Negotiations on the Global Stocktake (NDCs) will continue in 2025.
Funding the United Nations
A key question addressed in the presentation was who funds the UN. The presentation revealed that the United States is the largest single contributor, followed by Germany, Japan, and the United Kingdom. This bar graph illustrates the stark contrast between the contributions of a few major economies and the rest of the world, highlighting the financial dynamics that underpin global governance.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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