The Climate Change Committee has given its verdict on the outcomes from COP29 and what the UK should do now.
COP29 in Baku was slammed by many as not doing anywhere enough but the CCC said there were some positives.
Key achievements included a new $300bn (£235bn) annual climate finance goal by 2035, acknowledging the need for $1.3 trillion in total annual funding. A long-awaited carbon market agreement was finalised, setting rules for bilateral trading and central credit mechanisms.
However, progress on fossil fuel transitions and adaptation measures was limited, leaving much to resolve at COP30 in Brazil.
For the UK, the CCC said COP29 was a platform to launch its 2035 Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to reduce emissions by 81% from 1990 levels. This ambition builds on the UK’s Climate Change Act and significant achievements in decarbonising the power sector, serving as a model for other nations.
Looking ahead, it said the UK must formalise its NDC with detailed plans covering adaptation, mitigation, and finance. The government should work with the finance sector to leverage their expertise. Finally, there should be more work on creating a Global Clean Power Alliance with the UK leading such coalitions.
The CCC said it will play a pivotal role with its Seventh Carbon Budget advice, outlining the steps to achieve the 2030 NDC and beyond.
Professor Piers Forster, Interim Chair of the Climate Change Committee commented: “The UK played a clear role in supporting the best possible outcomes at a challenging time from this COP. There is now the opportunity for the UK to support much wider global climate progress through its experience, expertise and collaboration.”
