I recently returned from Cop 29 where I modelled two events- one for Feasta - Cap and share and I moderated an event for CAN- Climate Action Network.

Below a report from the Cap and Share event:

Side Event report for Feasta by Barbara McCarthy, delegation lead at Cop 29. 

Cop29 Side event: "From Growth to Sufficiency: The Role of 'Cap and Share' and Other Policy Pathways for Justice and Sustainability in Climate Action"

I put together a diverse panel for a side event at Cop29 in Baku in November 2024. It paired Feasta with the European Youth Forum and panelists from the European Economic and Social Committee, Equal Right and Oxfam International. The objectives of the 90 minute event included testing the acceptability of Cap and Share with an audience made up of policy makers, decision makers, activists and interested parties, exploring equitable climate strategies and promoting equitable and just access to resources. Panel members reflected on carbon footprints, billionaire polluters, and imbalances between the Global North and the Global South. 

On November 18th we hosted the following event: 

When: 18 Nov 2024, 16:45-18:15, Room: SIDE EVENT 4.

Where: UNFCCC COP29, Side Event Room 4 

What: Moderated by: Barbara McCarthy, Climate Journalist

Speaker 1: Peter Schmidt  (NAT President European Economic and Social Committee) discussed excessive resource consumption and social equity through a just transition among other things.

Speaker 2: Caillum Hedderman (board member European Youth Forum) focused on youth at Cop29 with

Speaker 3: Diandra Ni Bhuachalla (EESC youth delegate to COP)

Speaker 4: Patrick Brown (campaigns and operations director Equal Right) made a presentation on Cap and Share. 

Speaker 5: Zainab Bie (climate justice and public policy, Equal Right) looked at the effects of inaction.

Speaker 6: Amitabh Behar, Executive Director at Oxfam International. Discussing Carbon Inequality Kills. 

Format: Audience interaction and Q&A. Participants sharing insights and raising questions.

Objectives: 

• Promote equitable and just access to resources, addressing imbalances and fostering sustainable  resource management across the Global North and South.

• Introduce innovative ways of promoting more sustainable and responsible consumption patterns while reducing the negative environmental, social, and economic impacts associated with excessive use of carbon resources.  

• Test the acceptability of the Cap and Share proposal by the audience. Cap and Share is a collaborative climate strategy between the Global North and South, empowering the Global South to innovate and improve living conditions, while benefiting the Global North through stronger cooperation and financial stability. 

• Highlighting access to climate finance for grassroots movements and local initiatives.

Detailed information on the panel discussion

Peter Schmidt highlighted the importance of aligning climate and social policies and the  importance of financing a green transition.  "To tackle the climate crisis, we must address excessive resource consumption so no one is left behind." To ensure this happens we need to look beyond a GDP-based growth economy. He advocated for a comprehensive policy framework that prioritises societal wellbeing and the achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement. He also spoke about his carbon footprint as a middle aged German man compared to that of someone who lives in the global south, and how vastly bigger it is. When referencing the super rich- he stated that they have little imagination when it comes to climate and referenced Elon Musk sending rockets to space. He said trade unions, NGOs, alternative business models – should be part of the decision making, [to engage with a system change] “to fight the oligarchy". 

Caillum Hedderman Diandra Ni Bhuachalla shared the platform together. Caillum is a youth delegate from the EESC, who’s priorities at COp29 included climate justice, climate finance and youth inclusion. I asked them to reflect on the theme of the day- “Human Capital / Children and Youth / Health / Education,”. He and Diandra discussed the importance of youth inclusion in UNFCCC processes. Diandra Ní Bhuachalla is the Founder of Future Proof Youth, providing specialist support for young people and young professionals aged 18-35 to achieve their full potential through capacity building, personal development, and coaching and mentoring. The duo called for more youth voices at the table, and said climate action isn’t just about cutting emissions, it’s about fairness and allowing young people to have real impact in climate discussions.  

Patrick Brown (campaigns and operations director Equal Right), a global justice organisation advocating for climate justice without borders. Patrick Brown was the only panelist to give a presentation. He outlined the benefits of Equal Right’s Cap and Share, highlighting that it was pioneered by Feasta. He explained that it is a hugely ambitious project, but that a sustainable global UBI could be a game changer. By leveraging the Cap and Share funding model, inequality and climate change can be addressed simultaneously.  He suggested that a limit on extraction combined with a charge on polluters could raise $5 trillion in its first year alone, whilst also building public wealth through a new Global Commons Fund and providing climate grants and a UBI for all citizens of the world. A payment of $70 a month could be life-changing for the 712 million people living in extreme poverty worldwide. He also suggested a global cap on carbon extraction. 

Zainab Bie is a regional campaign manager for Equal Right Asia Pacific and expert in climate justice and public policy. She is based in Delhi, India. She discussed spearheading initiatives across diverse regions, representing India and the global south. She emphasised how Cap and Share can ensure justice and tools like UBI are essential to support the most vulnerable. Zainab highlighted the dangers of inaction and promoted a green transformation by integrating Cap and Share into wider climate justice initiatives.  

Amitabh Behar linked findings from a recent Oxfam’s report to the panel conversation. He opened his talk by stating he agreed with everyone on the panel and how happy he was to be asked along. He discussed Carbon Inequality Kills, a briefing paper on tackling inequality, which shows that the emissions of the world’s super-rich 1% are causing economic losses of trillions of dollars. Emissions from superyachts and private jets for the world’s richest 50 people are higher than the total consumption of the poorest 155 million people. He said the only way to beat climate breakdown and deliver social justice is by reducing inequality. The report suggests punitively taxing ‘carbon-intensive luxury consumptions, starting with private jets, superyachts, sports utility vehicles (SUVs), and frequent air travel.’ He also suggested reimagining economies and global institutions like WHO and WEF. 

After he spoke, the panel recapped and took questions from the audience for thirty minutes. These ranged from attendees seeking for more detailed information on Cap and Share and questions on finance and climate targets. The event finished on time.

 _________________________________________________________________________

Cop 29 Outcomes: Shepherding 200 countries to an intricate deal on climate finance was never going to be easy- especially in a country where the president- Ilham Aliyev described oil and gas as a ‘gift from god.’ just ahead of the conference.  Like the UAE, Azerbaijan has an economy which is built on oil and gas exports. The yearly conference at Cop has become moribund and stymied by fossil fuel interests. Delegates and luminaries were not ubiquitously impressed. Christiana Figueres, an architect of the Paris Agreement in 2015, called the COP process “no longer fit for purpose.” 

$300bn was promised annually per year in climate finance, which developing countries called ‘a paltry sum.’ Developing nations said it was a huge improvement on the $100 bn currently being contributed. The last minute deal was accepted ahead of incumbent US president Donald Trump, who would not contribute any more. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Reflections of the event:

Compared to previous COPs, interest from global media and the general public was very limited. COPs usually get lots of headlines, but Baku was barely mentioned on the news. No shows from Joe Biden, Ursula von der Leyen, Emmanuel Macron and Brazil’s Luiz Lula da Silva, Hollywood stars and heavy hitters saw media interest wane. It demonstrated that they don’t really care enough.

The event in Baku itself was well organised, but the venue lacked a central point where delegates could meet. At Cop28 in Dubai, a big central area and lots of outdoor seating was a natural meeting point for delegates to come together. This didn’t exist this time, which I think is an important part of any large scale event with 80,000 people.

Looking to COP30 and beyond, it would be wise to more strictly regulate fossil fuel company involvement and to exclude countries from hosting COP events that don’t support phase out/ transition away from fossil fuel energy. It risks being beyond farcical. Belem, despite its position close to the rain forest, is not a great choice for travelling delegates, who will need to get several flights to the destination. Also - there is a distinct lack of accommodation available- one year ahead of the conference.

Summary of findings from our Side Event at Cop29:

• It is more important than ever for parties to find viable and ambitious solutions for climate finance, which help the Global north and Global south. 

• There should be a quarterly look at how far these pledges are being put into action. There are many platitudes and few definite answers.

• The irony of climate events taking place in petrol states is not lost on the general public, who is losing interest in climate activism.

• Depicting the global North as the only ‘bad guys’ will only create a divide. As wars rage in Ukraine and Gaza, many people are losing faith in the UN and non elected global organisations, as they are asked to fund wars and global initiatives, against their will.

• In the last 10 years, there was a 75% growth of emissions as the developing world got more developed.The more countries come out of poverty, the more their carbon emissions increase. 

• China is still defined by the United Nations as a "developing" country, meaning it has no formal obligation to cut greenhouse gas emissions or provide financial help to poorer countries. 

• There needs to be a wealth tax and high polluters need to pay their share, through democratic processes.

• Cop events- if possible to be livestreamed so interested parties can watch them online.

• Many see climate activists as privileged white people who can afford to take time off to protest. I think COP and the climate work needs to acknowledge this and work on a unified message to solve a common cause.