Irish aid agencies condemn ‘utterly inadequate’ Cop29 deal that will worsen impacts of climate crisis on front lines

The outcome of the UN climate talks is “a shameful abdication of responsibility by wealthy nations and ensures developing countries on the front lines of the climate crisis will continue paying the price for its devastating effects”, according to Ross Fitzpatrick of Christian Aid Ireland.
The deal has been met with criticism from many Irish organisations. Former president Mary Robinson, who attended the latter days of the conference, called it “a disappointing deal”.
The deal reached at Cop29 in Baku “is an egregious denial of climate justice” and further evidence UN conferences of the parties (Cops) are not fit for purpose, added Mr Fitzpatrick, who attended Cop29 in Azerbaijan.
“The $300 billion [€288 billion] offered by wealthy countries is just over a fifth of the $1.3 trillion that developing countries require, and when adjusted for inflation, represents virtually no increase in public finance from the insufficient $100 billion commitment made in 2009.
“Rather than show the bold political leadership that’s needed, wealthy nations, including EU member states, have been at the forefront of efforts to drag down ambition and blame others,” Mr Fitzpatrick said. “The result is a final text that will only further erode trust of developing countries and hinder the urgent climate action needed in the coming decade.”
Trócaire said the agreement falls short of a commitment to a new, ambitious public climate finance goal of at least $1 trillion.
“Not only is the new goal wholly inadequate, but the proposal was forced through before multiple objections could be made from climate-vulnerable countries who opposed the decision – reflective of the disregard for meaningful participation and inclusivity throughout the talks.” it added.
Trócaire’s climate justice policy adviser, Sinéad Loughran, said: “It is shocking that a climate finance Cop has delivered so little ambition on climate finance and not surprising that climate-vulnerable countries reject this.
ActionAid Ireland chief executive Karol Balfe said superficially the numbers may look bigger than the previous $100 billion climate finance goal. “But scratch the surface, and this is packed full of loans. In order to artificially bulk out the numbers with existing funding streams, it is trying to count everything, everywhere all at once, while also shifting the burden on to developing countries.”
Ms Robinson said: “[It] has been one of the most difficult Cops I can remember. It came very close to failure and it has ended with a disappointing deal. But it is a deal the world can build on in 2025.
“The $300 billion per year committed by 2035 by rich countries at Cop29 falls $90 billion short of the amount needed to implement the Paris agreement. This is nowhere near enough to support developing countries. But the intention in the deal to generate at least $1.3 trillion from a wider range of sources is right. This is an investment, not a handout,” added the former UN envoy, who attended Cop29 during its final days.
Cop29 was weak in transitioning away from fossil fuels, she said. “Oil-rich countries must see that their efforts to delay the inevitable will fail. The green energy transition has gained unstoppable momentum, driven by competitive prices and market demand.”
Friends of the Earth Ireland climate policy campaigner Seán McLoughlin said: “Baku is a big ‘F U’ to climate justice, to the poorest communities who are on the frontlines of climate breakdown.
“Cop29 has failed those who have done least to cause climate change and who are most vulnerable to climate breakdown because the process is still in thrall to fossil fuel bullies and rich countries more committed to shirking their historical responsibility than safeguarding our common future,” he added.
“Now it’s back to citizens to demand our governments do the right thing. We must keep demanding the trillions, not billions owed in climate debt and a comprehensive, swift and equitable fossil fuel phase-out. The struggle for climate justice is not over,” he said.
Green Party leader Roderic O’Gorman welcomed the outcome but said a huge amount of work was needed to have hope of meeting Paris Agreement objectives. “But this deal shows that we in Ireland and in Europe are serious about driving the change needed and putting in place the mechanisms to do so. At this time we simply cannot backslide on climate commitments here at home or internationally,” he added.
Minister for Climate Eamon Ryan said: “This agreement is far from perfect and it does not go nearly far enough, particularly on mitigation, gender and human rights – but it keeps the core principles of the Paris Agreement alive and it gives us a basis to work from as we move forward to make Cop30 in Brazil transformational.”
He added: “Importantly it maintains north-south collaboration and co-operation. If this had broken down, particularly against the spectre of geopolitical uncertainty we are all facing in the coming months, it would have done incredible damage.
“We have to avoid division on climate at all costs. We have to keep the needs of the most vulnerable at the centre of everything we do. This Cop was all about bringing development and climate justice together and I think we’ve left Baku with this in a stronger place.”
[ Explainer: 10 takeaways from Cop 29, a collective failureOpens in new window ]
Negotiations had not been easy with a lot of fossil fuel interests looking to stop a deal, particularly on mitigation, the Mr Ryan said, but multilateralism prevailed “and the world has stood firm together for climate and financial justice”.