**Financing a sustainable future: key issues at COP29 in Baku**
The issue of financing to combat climate change is at the centre of discussions at COP29 in Baku. The stakes are high: reaching an agreement that unlocks trillions of dollars to help less-privileged nations cope with the impacts of climate change is essential.
Africa is at the heart of the concerns, facing rising temperatures, sea levels, variable rainfall and extreme weather events. African leaders at the summit are calling on the wealthiest nations, responsible for the majority of pollution, to take responsibility by compensating for the environmental damage they have caused.
Barirega Akankwasah, Executive Director of the National Environment Management Authority of Uganda, stresses the need for polluters to bear the costs of clean-up, mitigation and adaptation. He insists that environmental costs must be factored into design and production processes, stressing that those who pollute must take responsibility for their actions.
It is essential for Akankwasah and his African peers that an agreement at COP29 include financial plans for an environmental damage remediation fund. They are calling for the agreement to clearly establish a fund for loss and damage, with clear criteria for contributions, access and distribution of these funds.
Protesters have also mobilized in Baku to demand that polluting countries contribute fairly to helping less fortunate nations adapt to climate change. They are also calling for a phase-out of fossil fuels. However, despite these calls, more than 1,700 lobbyists from the coal, oil and gas sectors have been allowed to participate in COP29.
The issue of climate finance at COP29 in Baku is of paramount importance for the future of the planet. It is imperative that rich nations take responsibility and contribute substantially to a sustainable future for all.