Developing nations urged to enhance transparency in climate finances

Mukhtar Babayev calls for improved financial accountability in climate actions as developing nations seek significant funding.

Fiona Harvey reports for The Guardian.


In short:

  • At the upcoming COP29, a new global goal for climate finance will be established, with transparency as a key focus.
  • Babayev emphasizes the creation of a "transparency mechanism" to foster trust and effective climate action among nations.
  • Current challenges include the discrepancy in reported emissions and actual emissions, and the misuse of funds designated for climate initiatives.

Key quote:

“It’s very important to build this correct, good and honest trust between the parties.”

— Mukhtar Babayev, ecology minister of Azerbaijan

Why this matters:

At previous COP meetings, discussions around climate finance often centered on the commitments of developed nations to support developing countries in their climate mitigation and adaptation efforts. However, transparency has frequently been a stumbling block, with concerns about the adequacy and reliability of reported financial flows. The focus on transparency at COP29 aims to build trust among countries and ensure that funds are used effectively and reach their intended targets.

LISTEN: An audio diary from the COP28 climate conference

The 21st session of the UN Conference on Climate Change
Credit: palinchak/BigStock Photo ID: 110010617

The United States is skipping COP31 in Turkey

President Trump refused to send an American delegation to the United Nations climate summit in Turkey.
Florida wetland: Everglades National Park
Credit: romrodinka/BigStock Photo ID: 164136329

The pace of Everglades restoration has accelerated. But is it working?

The National Academies, in a new report, call for more clarity around how effective the massive effort has been and what it ultimately can achieve.
Photo depicting executives meeting around a table

Corporations win “free speech” right to hide pollution

A federal appeals court says forcing corporations to disclose their biggest sources of climate pollution is likely unconstitutional.
A view of a riverbank that has been eroded by high water

Losing ground: Vermont’s struggle against river erosion

River erosion causes the vast majority of the state’s flood damage; the problem is getting worse, while many Vermonters remain in harm’s way.

An illustration of a computer's mother board with zeros and ones floating above it

What if digitalization isn’t the climate fix we imagined?

Going digital is often assumed to be a modern, efficient strategy that will save energy and resources. Thirty years of data from the world’s largest economies suggest the energy needed to power them has so far outweighed the savings.

A view of Greta Thunberg speaking into a microphone

Greta Thunberg arrives at COP31, calls for structural changes to tackle climate crisis

Greta Thunberg has arrived at the U.N. climate meeting in Turkey, emphasizing the need to prioritize people and the planet over profits.
A closeup of a man in a striped shirt holding a blue fishing net on a beach

Revisiting El Bosque, the “success story” of climate displacement

Lessons learned from a rushed resettlement in Mexico underscore what governments owe to climate-displaced communities—not only after homes wash away, but also long before.

From our Newsroom
Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

Multiple Houston-area oil and gas facilities that have violated pollution laws are seeking permit renewals

One facility has emitted cancer-causing chemicals into waterways at levels up to 520% higher than legal limits.

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

Regulators are underestimating health impacts from air pollution: Study

"The reality is, we are not exposed to one chemical at a time.”

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro speaks with the state flag and American flag behind him.

Two years into his term, has Gov. Shapiro kept his promises to regulate Pennsylvania’s fracking industry?

A new report assesses the administration’s progress and makes new recommendations

silhouette of people holding hands by a lake at sunset

An open letter from EPA staff to the American public

“We cannot stand by and allow this to happen. We need to hold this administration accountable.”

wildfire retardants being sprayed by plane

New evidence links heavy metal pollution with wildfire retardants

“The chemical black box” that blankets wildfire-impacted areas is increasingly under scrutiny.

Stay informed: sign up for The Daily Climate newsletter
Top news on climate impacts, solutions, politics, drivers. Delivered to your inbox week days.