Daily Update COP29 - Tuesday 12 November

Update
12 November 2024
The World Leaders Climate Action Summit opened this Tuesday at COP29. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres welcomed heads of state and government, as well as leaders of delegations participating in the Summit, while the WMO delegation took the floor in various meetings.
A woman in a conference hall sits at a desk with various electronic devices. A large screen displays "In Solidarity for a Green World" in the background.
WMO Secretary-General, Prof. Celeste Saulo, attending the Opening ceremony, World Leaders Climate Action Summit
WMO

What you need to know

  • Call for Ambitious Climate Plans at COP29: Countries worldwide are urged to step up their climate action plans at the COP29 climate conference, emphasizes the WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, highlighting the need for bolder strategies to combat the escalating climate crisis. Listen to podcast
  • Climate Impacts and Inflation: Worsening climate impacts are not only devastating the planet but could also "put inflation on steroids," warns Simon Stiell, urging bold climate action. Read the full article
  • Africa’s Green Momentum at COP29: UN Secretary-General António Guterres calls for bold investment in Africa's green transition, highlighting the continent's leadership in renewable energy and climate resilience. Read his remarks

Scientists, activists, and young people are demanding change – they must be heard, not silenced.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the World Leaders Summit at COP29

Today

  • Highlight from AMCOMET side event and launch the implementation and resource mobilisation plan of the African Integrated Strategy on Meteorology. AMCOMET’s resource mobilization plan focuses on partnerships between governments, financial institutions, and private stakeholders to bolster climate adaptation. Today’s session, "Living the Thread of Climate Hazards and Aspiring Sustainable Development," underscored the critical role of tailored climate services and early warning systems in building resilience across Africa. Read the news
  • A message from the Frozen World at COP29: a side event addressing the Global Impact of a Changing Cryosphere. Setting the stage for the International Year of Glaciers' Preservation, which WMO will organize in collaboration with UNESCO. Read the news
  • China: In a major boost to the Early Warnings for All initiative, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang announced concrete measures to contribute to global efforts and enhance climate adaptation capacity. Read the news

Glacier loss is worsening. In 2023, glaciers lost a record 1.2-meter water equivalent of ice – about five times the amount of water in the Dead Sea.

WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo, at a high-level event on cryosphere


More updates for 12 November from COP29, by ISSD

Tomorrow

  • High-level event convened by the UN Secretary-General on Delivering Early Warnings for All and Addressing Extreme Heat 16:00-17:30 (Baku). This event will take stock of the implementation of EW4ALL and the global response to the call to action on extreme heat, with the participation of leaders from developed and developing countries, financiers, private sector and CSO representatives. With UNDRR, IFRC, ITU, partners of the Initiative. Follow the live-streaming 
  • COP29 High-Level Event 10:45-12:15 (Baku): Adverse Impacts of Climate Change on Water Basins: With 3.6 billion people facing water shortages and projections showing this number could exceed 5 billion by 2050, the event will discuss the intensifying impact of global warming on water resources and the urgent need for action to safeguard the global hydrological cycle. Event page
  • WMO Pavilion 09:00-10:30 (Baku): Climate Services in Action: Five Years of Progress and Future Pathways: This COP29 side event will highlight the findings of the State of Climate Services report, assess five years of advancements, and explore pathways to address climate service gaps. To the event page
  • COP29 Methane Action Hub 09:00-10:30 (Baku): Public-Private Partnerships for Climate Data Collection and Monitoring. This panel discussion will showcase how these partnerships help achieve U.S. climate mitigation goals via resource mobilization and capacity building to enhance GHG monitoring networks.

  • SBSTA-SBI Joint Plenary 19:00-21:00 (Baku): WMO and co-sponsors may be called for their statements. Check the SBSTA website for emerging informal versions of the Conclusions documents that will gradually be uploaded in the coming days. SBSTA 61 | UNFCCC  

Post of the day

Three men wearing headphones stand together, smiling, at a World Meteorological Organization event. A poster about heat-related deaths is visible in the background.
Beat the Heat Together at COP29
WMO

Slide of the day

Chart showing global glacier mass loss from 1950 to 2020. Text notes a record loss in 2023, equivalent to 1.2m water, five times the Dead Sea's volume. Data by World Glacier Monitoring Service.
Source: State of Global Climate 2024 Update
WMO

Youth at COP29

  • Must-Hear COP29 Podcast: Listen to Ko Barrett, Deputy Secretary-General of WMO, and Theophilus Wellington, an inspiring young professional, as they discuss the significance of COP29 and the vital role of young voices in the climate movement. Listen now.  

    Image promoting "Our COP Podcast" featuring two individuals, with speech bubbles and a text inviting to listen to a conversation about COP29. WMO logo is at the top left.
    WMO

Picture of the day

Three people stand in front of a "Science & Climate Pavilion" sign. Two are women and one is a man, all wearing business attire. Three chairs and two screens are visible in the background.
WMO-IPCC-MERI Pavilion inauguration with (from left to right) Jim Skea (IPCC), Celeste Saulo (WMO) and Francisca Cortés Solari (MERI)
WMO

All pictures from the WMO delegation are on the WMO COP29 photo album.
 

More communication assets are available on the UN Communication COP29 board.

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