World leaders will gather from 11 to 22 November for the 29th Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) in Baku, Azerbaijan. Each year, the COP is an opportunity for representatives in government, business, and civil society to take meaningful action toward tackling the climate crisis as the world deals with rising temperatures and one extreme weather event after another. 

A major focus of COP29 will be on how to finance the climate action the world needs and for negotiators to try to agree on a New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) to replace the previous $100 billion annual target set in 2009. A new climate finance target will allow vulnerable countries to adapt to and mitigate climate impacts.

Countries will also present their new national climate action plans (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement, which are due in February 2025. An annual report published by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) that tracks the gap between actual greenhouse gas emissions and where they should be to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement finds that countries need to deliver “unprecedented cuts” to emissions by 2030 to limit warming to 1.5C.

Ambitious action is needed now, and science must inform COP29 negotiators and future policy. In the just-released 2024/2025 “10 New Insights in Climate Science,” more than 80 renowned scientists urge world leaders to move from talk to implementation of global agreements when they meet in Baku. The synthesis report, a collaboration between Future Earth, the Earth League, and the World Climate Research Programme, aims to inform negotiations at COP29 and beyond.

Members of the Future Earth community will also be in Baku organizing and participating in events throughout the next two weeks. Below is an overview of our involvement. This page will be updated throughout the conference.

Monday 11 November

“The BRICS climate agenda through the prism of polar cooperation”
Time: 14:00 – 15:00
Location: Arctic Pavilion
Speakers: Olga Solomina, Future Earth Russian National Committee

“Science day: natural and climatic solutions and climate problems of the Caspian region”
Time: 15:00 – 15:30
Location: Arctic Pavilion
Speakers: Olga Solomina, Future Earth Russian National Committee

“Vanishing Sea Ice, Changing Oceans: Why It Matters for Climate, Marine Ecosystems, and People”
Time: 15:00 – 16:00
Location: Ocean Pavilion
Moderator: Letizia Tedesco, BEPSII (SOLAS)

Tuesday 12 November

“Climate Science: key take aways in 2024”
Time: 16:45 – 18:15
Location: Room 6
Speakers: Johan Rockstrom, Earth Commission, Salvatore Aricò, ISC; Irina Bokova, former DG of UNESCO; Lars Peter Hansen, Univ. of Chicago; Alik Ismail-Zadeh, KIT; Thelma Krug, GCOS; Reimund Schwarze, DKKV; Ismail Serageldin, the COP29 IAC; Rep. from WMO, Future Earth, WCRP, GOOS, SCAR, SCOR, IRDR, Organizer: International Science Council (ISC)

Wednesday 13 November

“Global Carbon Budget 2024 UN Press Conference”
Time: 10:30 – 11:00
Location: Press Conference 2 (Natavan), Area C. Blue zone
Speakers: Stephen Sitch, Global Carbon Project, Michael O’Sullivan, Global Carbon Project

“Innovation Ecosystems for Climate Action: Digital Technologies, Industrial Solutions and Governance”
Time: 18:30 – 20:00
Location: TBD
Speakers: Wenjie Dong, Future Earth China Global Hub Director
Organized by Future Earth

Thursday 14 November

“Vanishing Sea Ice, Changing Oceans: Why It Matters for Climate, Marine Ecosystems, and People”
Time: 10:30 – 11:30
Location: Ocean Pavilion
Speaker: Letizia Tedesco, BEPSII (SOLAS)

“Antarctic Sea Ice at a Crossroads: Status Quo and Future Implications”
Time: 13:00 – 14:00
Location: Cryosphere Pavilion
Speaker: Jacqueline Stefels, BEPSII (SOLAS)

“Action with impact: Critical enablers for fulfilling national commitments”
Time: 15:00 – 16:30
Location: Press Conference 2 (Natavan), Area C. Blue zone
Speakers: Michael O’Sullivan, Global Carbon Project

“New Developments of GOSAT Series: Japanese GHG Center and Use of Satellite Data for Business”
Time: 15:45 – 17:00
Location: Japan Pavilion
Speakers: Michael O’Sullivan (GCB)
Yugo Kanaya (IGAC), Prabir Patra (GCP)
Event Links:
https://www.env.go.jp/earth/cop/cop29/pavilion/en/exhibition/details/016/
https://www.env.go.jp/earth/cop/cop29/pavilion/en/
Organized by IGAC, Ministry of the Environment, Japan (MOEJ), National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES)/Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC)

Friday 15 November

“Vanishing Sea Ice: What It Means for Our Oceans and Ecosystems”
Time: 13:00 – 14:00
Location: Cryosphere Pavilion
Moderator: Letizia Tedesco BEPSII (SOLAS)

“Coalition of Rainforest Nations”
Time: 16:00 – 16:45
Location: Coalition of Rainforest Nations Pavilion, blue zone
Speaker: Stephen Sitch (Future Earth, GCB)

Saturday 16 November

“IPCC TFI Activities in the seventh assessment cycle”
Time: 11:00
Location: Science for Climate Action Pavilion, Blue Zone
Speakers: Michael O’Sullivan, Global Carbon Project

Sunday 17 November

“World Climate Summit event on NBS”
Time: 10:00-10:45
Location: Baku Convention Center
Speakers: Stephen Sitch, Global Carbon Project

Monday 18 November

“Smart Pathway to Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation”
Time: 11:30 – 13:00
Location: Side Event 5
Speakers: Wenjie Dong, China Global Hub Director

Thursday 21 November

“Innovative Solutions for Carbon Emissions: CCS and Environmental Impact Assessment in Southeast Asia”
Time: 10:00 – 11:00
Location: Thailand Pavilion
Speakers: Kuaanan Techato, Siwatt Pongpiachan, Future Earth Thailand
Organized by Future Earth Thailand, NIDA, PSU

“Showcasing impacts and youth-led action on mental health and climate change”
Time: 13:15 – 14:45
Location: Side event 2
Speakers: Kristina Belesova, Health KAN
Organized by Imperial College London, The George Institute, the American Psychological Association, United for Global Mental Health