WFP at COP29: Standing with Communities on the Climate Frontlines

The 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29) was held in Baku, Azerbaijan this year. Dubbed the ‘finance COP’, the big-ticket item at this year’s meeting was setting a new climate finance goal for developed countries to mobilize climate action in developing countries most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. 

WFP's Isheeta Sumra and Pepa Majkic were supporting WFP’s communications for COP29. Here are their reflections from the conference!

WFP was at COP29 calling for: 

1. Accelerated climate action and financing in the most risk-prone and fragile regions 
2. Immediate action to operationalize the Fund for Responding to Loss and Damage, delivering crucial resources to frontline communities 
3. Urgent transformation of food systems, especially in conflict-affected regions, to become less carbon-intensive and more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Reflections from COP29

Empowering frontline communities

The highlight of COP29 for us was hearing directly from community members on the frontlines of climate change. These are the people who experience the impact firsthand and often have the solutions. It’s clear: we must include them in all global policy processes and empower them to take charge of their own futures. 

Crafting engaging stories

Climate change is the defining story of our generation, yet we’re not telling it effectively enough. To truly inspire action, we need to craft narratives that are relatable, engaging and human-centered. By connecting the global crisis to personal experiences, we can drive deeper understanding and motivate real, lasting change. 

Streamlining efforts

Governments and partners are making significant strides in addressing climate change. However, the challenge lies in streamlining these efforts to maximize impact. By better coordinating resources and aligning strategies, we can ensure that funding flows more efficiently to reach the communities that need it most.  

Keeping pace

The energy of the conference was reflected in our walking each day, our health app recording over 18,000 steps. Let’s hope climate action keeps pace with the growing climate-related needs.

The Independent High Level Expert Group on Climate Finance puts developing countries’ need for external climate finance at around US$1 trillion a year by 2030; US$1.3 trillion by 2035.

After tense discussions, parties agreed to set a new climate finance goal of at least US$ 300 billion per year by 2035.  A positive step forward focusing on enhancing climate finance efforts to climate-vulnerable communities which would potentially lead to greater attention on food insecure populations and those affected by fragility and conflicts – the key communities WFP serves.

Thank you Isheeta and Pepa!