In a bold and unified call for climate justice, civil society groups from across the globe convened a powerful “People’s Plenary” at the COP29 United Nations Climate Summit in Baku.
Under the theme “Pay Up, Stand Up: Finance Climate Action, Not Genocide,” activists demanded urgent action from wealthy nations to address the $5 trillion annual climate finance debt they say is owed to the Global South.
The plenary, held in the Caspian Plenary Hall, brought together voices from indigenous communities, women’s groups, labour unions, and people with disabilities.
Delegates from both the Global South and North condemned neocolonialism, fossil fuel dependency, and the exploitation of vulnerable nations, highlighting the link between these systemic injustices and the climate crisis.
A Call for Justice Amid Global Crises
Climate activists displayed a list of names of Palestinians killed in Gaza, victims of the war in Lebanon, and casualties of Sudan’s civil conflict, asserting the interconnectedness of ecological and human tragedies.
“There’s no climate justice with blood on our hands,” declared Lebanese activist, Baturi Nuru Habin, drawing parallels between the climate emergency and the devastating impacts of conflict in her home country.
Christina Chock, representing indigenous peoples, decried economic systems that enrich the few at the expense of the planet.
“We call for an end to inequality and injustice. The future belongs to us as indigenous people.
“We amplify our voices for Mother Earth and our children. There will be nothing about us, without us,” she said, evoking resounding applause.
Eastern European activist Anna Bohushenko vowed continued resistance: “We will not stop fighting, not today, not tomorrow, not ever.”
Deadlock at COP29: Finance COP or Finance Flop?
Despite being branded the “Finance COP,” COP29 has failed to produce a breakthrough on critical climate finance issues.
Negotiations between the Global North and South have stalled, with disagreements over the proposed $5 trillion annual climate fund, its distribution, and the structure of grants and loans.
The activists criticized the lack of ambition and political will from wealthier nations.
Many view the $5 trillion demand as a necessary step to address historical emissions and provide adequate support for adaptation, mitigation, and loss and damage in vulnerable regions.
Activists Pledge to Keep Fighting
The plenary concluded with a series of pledges from participants. They vowed to stand against genocide and ecocide by opposing governments complicit in conflicts and environmental destruction, push for ambitious, grant-based climate finance solutions that prioritize justice and equity, and mobilize and build collective power to advocate for a sustainable future.
“Justice demands that the Global North pays its climate debt,” one activist declared.
“This is not charity; it is reparations for centuries of exploitation and destruction,” the activist added.
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