Negotiators from climate-vulnerable nations walk out of COP29 in row over funding deals
23 November 2024, 18:56
Island nations which are vulnerable to climate change and some African countries have stormed out of COP29 in a row over funding.
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Climate talks in Baku, Azerbaijan, are on the verge of breaking down after they were extended having been set to finish yesterday.
Representatives of a group of more than 77 nations which are vulnerable to climate change have walked out of the talks.
They want $500bn in funding every year to help them adapt and become resilient to the changing environment.
Read More: UK to scrap warships, military helicopters and fleet of drones to save £500m
But the last draft of a deal only reached $250bn.
The proposal would be double the previous goal of $100bn but is still someway short of the annual $1.3trn that experts say is required.
Samoa's minister of natural resources and environment Toeolesulusulu Cedric Schuster is a representative of the group which walked out of talks on Saturday.
Mr Schuster said: "We are here to negotiate but we have walked out... at the moment we don't feel we are being heard in there."
He later said: "We want nothing more than to continue to engage, but the process must be INCLUSIVE.
"If this cannot be the case, it becomes very difficult for us to continue our involvement here at COP29."
Evans Njewa, who chairs a group of more than 40 third world countries said the offer is "unacceptable for us. We need to speak to other developing countries and decide what to do."
