Joseph Banks, a journalist working for Coventry University’s CovFeed asked Coventry Climate Action Network three questions about COP29:

1. Do you think that what was agreed upon in the end was enough?
2. Do you believe that COP talks are still fit for purpose?
3. What would you say to people who believe that there is no hope to prevent the planet reaching a 1.5C increase from pre-industrial levels.

Here are their answers so far.

United Nations Association Coventry Branch

1. Do you think that what was agreed upon in the end was enough?
   We agree with the poorer nations that the $250 billion annually that wealthy countries offered to provide by 2035 is not nearly enough. It is less than 20% of the $1.3 trillion annually that vulnerable nations were seeking by 2035.
2. Do you believe that COP talks are still fit for purpose?
   As the Walker Institute reported in November 2024, there have been extensive discussions of whether COP is still fit for purpose (https://walker.reading.ac.uk/does-cop29-have-a-future/). However a major part of the problem at COP29 was the venue and the presidency. Azerbaijan is rich in oil and natural gas and the president was Azerbaijan’s Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources. Also the large number of fossil fuel lobbyists presented a major lobby in favour of fossil fuel production.
   We agree with the scientists, international organisations and former politicians who have addressed an open letter to the UN Secretariat calling for COP reform (https://www.clubofrome.org/cop-reform-2024/). But we think that COP is too important to abandon it, and we hope that future COPs will have a more neutral president with greater understanding of the real problems facing poor countries.
3. What we would say to people who believe there is no hope of preventing us reaching that limit is:
   “WE AGREE WITH YOU! According to a statement issued by the World Meteorological Organisation in November 2024, during the first nine months of 2024 the global average temperature was already 1.54 (±0.13) °C above the pre-industrial level. It is therefore entirely possible that Earth’s temperate will exceeded the 1.5 C limit during 2024 and, if it has not then it is almost certain, if current trends continue, that it will do so in the next year or two.
   “But this will not lead to the end of the world yet. Under the Paris Agreement, countries agreed to substantially reduce global greenhouse gas emissions to enable the long-term global average surface temperature increase to be kept well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and pursue efforts to limit it to 1.5°C. Since it is almost certain we are going to miss that target it means we are not doing nearly enough to reduce our carbon emissions. We must all try harder and that means you and your family. Climate change is by far the biggest threat facing humanity and needs to be on top of everybody’s agenda. If it continues it will lead to mass migrations of people and wars. You must ask yourself ‘Am I doing all I can to reduce my carbon footprint? Am I voting for politicians who want to increase my country’s carbon emissions? Am I putting myself above the needs of my children and grandchildren?’ “

Tony McNally, Managing Director, Climate Change Solutions Ltd

1. Do you think that what was agreed upon in the end was enough? No
2. Do you believe that COP talks are still fit for purpose? It needs to continue but with reform including not hosted by the big oil authoritarian states.
3. What would you say to people who believe that there is no hope to prevent the planet reaching a 1.5C increase from pre-industrial levels?
   What is the alternative? Campaigning for progressive change is always hard work but once you believe and commit to making change for the better the challenge winning more people and organization to support it.