Anika Patel, a China analyst and climate policy expert at Carbon Brief, shares her insights on COP 29's outcomes, especially during Azerbaijan's presidency. The discussion covers the challenges of climate finance and geopolitical tensions, including Trump's potential impact on U.S. policies. Anika highlights China's commitments and the importance of subnational actions in climate negotiations. She also recommends valuable resources to stay informed on China's environmental initiatives, making this a crucial conversation for anyone interested in global climate policies.
COP 29 was criticized for organizational issues and inadequate climate finance targets, exposing tensions between developed and developing nations.
China's complex role at COP 29 highlighted its struggle between maintaining developing nation status and expectations for increased climate contributions.
Deep dives
Technopolitics and India’s Role
Technology has emerged as a critical factor in global power dynamics, placing India at the forefront of high-tech geopolitics. The episode highlights how public engagement, through initiatives like the technopolitics survey by the Takshashila Institution, can influence India's strategic positioning in this rapidly evolving space. By inviting citizens to participate, the researchers aim to gather insights that could steer policy development, ensuring that India adapts effectively to technological advancements. This underscores the increasing importance of citizen involvement in shaping national policy, particularly in areas interfacing with global technological competition.
Controversies at COP29
The COP29 climate summit, hosted by Azerbaijan, faced criticism for its choice of the venue, especially as it was perceived as a petro-state's attempt to further oil and gas interests. Concerns about Azerbaijan's handling of negotiations were prevalent, exacerbated by actions like the French climate minister's boycott during the second week of talks, which illustrated widespread dissatisfaction. The summit revealed significant problems, including allegations that negotiations were undermined by an unclear presidency role and frustrations over a lack of a cover text summarizing agreements. This situation raised doubts about the ambition and effectiveness of the conference outcomes.
Climate Finance Discontent
COP29 was characterized by an intense focus on climate finance, with the need to establish a new collective quantified goal following the disappointing results from previous pledges. The episode detailed how developing countries sought a target of $1.3 trillion per year in climate finance, highlighting a substantial gap between these expectations and the proposed $300 billion from developed nations. Discontent was palpable, especially from nations like India, as they perceived the finalized figure as grossly inadequate given their ongoing climate challenges. Furthermore, controversies arose regarding the transparency and accountability of climate finance, as earlier commitments were often unmet or funds were repurposed from other aid programs.
China's Climate Positioning
China played a pivotal role in climate discussions at COP29, amid rising expectations for higher contributions to climate finance. The country faced dual pressures as a developing nation while also being the largest emitter, being called to do more despite already providing significant funding through initiatives such as the Belt and Road Initiative. Discussions emphasized China's reluctance to align its climate ambitions with those of developed countries, aiming to maintain its developing nation status amid calls for increased transparency and commitment. Looking ahead, the potential for increased bilateral cooperation between China and the EU on climate action was noted, yet significant challenges remain.
In this discussion, Rakshith and Anika explore Azerbaijan's presidency during COP 29, examining how it was organised and assessing the outcomes related to climate finance. They also discuss the implications of Trump's upcoming presidency on U.S. domestic and international climate policies, as well as China's actions during COP 29. Finally, Anika will share a few sources where you can stay updated on China and its environmental policies.
All Things Policy is a daily podcast on public policy brought to you by the Takshashila Institution, Bengaluru.
The Takshashila Institution has designed the 'Technopolitik: A Technology Geopolitics Survey' to understand and assess what people think about how India should navigate high-tech geopolitics. Please take this 5-minute survey at the following link: https://bit.ly/technopolitik_survey
Find out more on our research and other work here: https://takshashila.org.in/
Check out our public policy courses here: https://school.takshashila.org.in
Get the Snipd podcast app
Unlock the knowledge in podcasts with the podcast player of the future.
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode
Save any moment
Hear something you like? Tap your headphones to save it with AI-generated key takeaways
Share & Export
Send highlights to Twitter, WhatsApp or export them to Notion, Readwise & more
AI-powered podcast player
Listen to all your favourite podcasts with AI-powered features
Discover highlights
Listen to the best highlights from the podcasts you love and dive into the full episode