Global Call to Action at U.N. Climate Summit: Urgency for Climate Finance

World leaders at the U.N. climate summit in Baku, led by Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, emphasized the urgent need for increased climate finance to limit global warming and prevent humanitarian disasters. Leaders from Azerbaijan, Maldives, and Congo stressed financial challenges for developing nations while promoting fairness and fast action.

World leaders gathered at the United Nations climate summit in Baku on Tuesday, where Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for immediate financial action to prevent climate-induced crises. Guterres underscored the urgency with a stark reminder that time is running out to cap global temperature rise at 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Azerbaijan President Ilham Aliyev defended his country against accusations of being a petrostate, claiming that Azerbaijan's contribution to global oil and gas production is minimal. He criticized what he termed as media misinformation targeting his country following its selection as the COP29 host.

Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, emphasizing the 'Finance COP,' argued that a new climate finance target must reflect the real scale of the crisis, noting the special needs of small island states. Leaders from Congo and Belarus echoed concerns about climate financing, pushing for solutions grounded in scientific data.

(With inputs from agencies.)