Final negotiations at #COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan concluded last week. After two weeks of discussion, this year’s “finance COP” resulted in wealthy nations pledging an annual $300 billion to climate change adaptation in low- and middle-income countries.
This global investment in strengthening climate change resilience is crucial. Countries we serve like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Niger are some of the lowest carbon emitters, but bear the brunt of devastation. We must leverage development banks and other international financing mechanisms to fund large-scale adaptation programs across climate-vulnerable societies. We must assist governments in mobilizing domestic resources as well—building integrated programs that address climate, health, and gender simultaneously.
Throughout COP29, National Adaptation Plans (NAPs), which identify a country’s climate vulnerabilities and the costs for addressing them, were spotlighted as a valuable tool for guiding investments in climate adaptation.
Earlier this year, Uganda became the first country in Africa and second country globally (after Nepal) to develop a Climate Change Health National Adaptation Plan (H-NAP), focused on building a stronger, more climate-resilient health system. We partnered with the Uganda Ministry of Health to develop the H-NAP and bring together climate and health partners to discuss and mobilize resources to facilitate nationwide implementation of the H-NAP. At the World Health Organization Pavilion at COP29, we were honored to support the Ugandan government in sharing the H-NAP and calling for collaborative action. We urge other nations’ governments to follow Uganda’s example in ensuring that health is included as a priority in NAP development.
A few Pathfinders also had the honor of advocating for greater integration of climate and health in Baku. Our Mahbub Alam, Bangladesh Country Director, and Askari Hasan, Project Manager, joined Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Friendship, and YouthNet for a panel exploring how rising sea levels, intensified cyclones, erratic rainfall, and frequent flash floods exacerbate health issues like waterborne diseases, heat stress, and malnutrition.
As a country-led, community-focused organization working toward sexual and reproductive health and rights for all, another key ask we had of world leaders at COP29 was for meaningful involvement of women and youth in global and domestic decision-making bodies driving climate change action. Women and girls comprise most of the world’s climate migrants and suffer disproportionately from climate disasters. Climate crises are also linked to an increase in early and forced marriages, gender-based violence, maternal health complications, and unintended pregnancies.
Pathfinder’s Yosra Albakkar, Strategic Partnership Senior Manager, South Asia, Middle East and North Africa, joined representatives from Pakistan’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination, Egypt’s National Council for Women, and Takeda Pharmaceuticals in a panel discussion: “Addressing Climate Change and Gender Equity within the Private Sector.” The session focused on the integration of gender justice and climate resilience into environmental, social, and governance frameworks. Panelists encouraged organizations to promote gender equality at the core of climate action.
If you couldn’t attend COP29 in person, you are in good company. We asked our Pathfinder experts staying home to tune into the public webcast as part of our #COP29Watch Party. We shared their key takeaways on digitalization, adolescents and youth, and gender equity with you on LinkedIn—in case you missed it, they’re compiled below.
Digitalization
- Open, free, and interoperable data—gathered and shared with transparency—is invaluable to long-term climate research. Accessible, collaborative, and actionable data is already improving health system resilience across the globe.
- Digital technologies play a critical role in early warning and emergency telecommunications. When extreme weather events hit, access to health care disintegrates—but with adequate warning and effective communication, communities and health systems can better prepare, respond, and avoid backsliding.
- Discussions on Digitalization Day focused heavily on how digital technologies can be leveraged during climate-induced emergencies. The COP29 Declaration on Green Digital Action also mentions improving emergency response and preparedness through the broader use of digital technologies. Climate-induced emergencies create immediate health emergencies, but there isn’t a single mention of health in the declaration.
- The evidence is clear: climate change is claiming lives and making people sick—through infectious diseases, waterborne illnesses, heat stroke. As acknowledged in the Declaration on Green Digital Action, a full life cycle of digital technologies and related tools contribute to climate impacts. When we set global targets around climate action and digitalization, health cannot be an afterthought.
Adolescents & Youth
- Only 2.4% of climate financing currently reaches children and youth. At COP29—the “Finance COP”—it’s imperative that world leaders provide direct access to climate finance for youth-led organizations and youth-focused initiatives.
- Access to accurate, reliable information about climate change is key for building climate resilience and advancing adaptation efforts. Climate change education must be integrated into school curricula to foster young people’s innovative climate solutions.
- Partnerships and alliances among organizations, governments, NGOs, and businesses are crucial for driving collaborative climate action, supporting youth-led advocacy campaigns and initiatives, creating platforms for intergenerational dialogue, and advancing intergenerational equity.
Gender Equity
- The call for stronger data continues at #COP29. We’ve long recognized that we cannot advance equitable policymaking and transformative change without gender-disaggregated data. There’s no more time to wait.
- As recognized by COP29 President, Mr. Mukhtar Babayev: “Women and girls are particularly vulnerable… Women and girls are also at the forefront of solutions, demonstrating resilience, innovation, and leadership in addressing climate challenges.” With women at the frontlines of climate change adaptation, they must have equitable representation in global policymaking.
- Are the right people in the room? With the cancelation of regional climate weeks and more than 30,000 fewer attendees at COP29 than COP28 last year, how can we ensure that advocacy efforts are reaching global leaders? Looking ahead to COP30, we must refocus global efforts on ensuring that climate negotiations are inclusive, accessible, and effective.
In our observations across three thematic days at COP29, there is one cross-cutting commonality: We cannot afford to wait. We’ve identified the tools we need to drive climate change adaptation—good data, multi-sectoral collaboration, National Adaptation Plans… and above all, the effort and dedication of every member of society. Our health depends on it.
Looking ahead to COP30 in Belém, Brazil, we hope to see a decision-making body more reflective of the many women and young people on the frontlines of climate action, whose leadership and innovation is critical to achieving global goals on climate change adaptation.
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