Daniela Macaya: My Experience at COP29
COP29 - Key Negotiation Achievements:
This November, I had the privilege of attending COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, as a youth representative for Nature Now International, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and Rotary International. Known as the "Finance COP," this year's conference main focus was setting the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG), where developing nations sought to raise $1.3 trillion annually by 2035 to support their climate efforts. However, the agreement was finalized at $300 billion, and though this was a step forward from the unmet $100 billion annual goal set in 2009, it fell short of the $1.3 trillion amount experts argue is necessary.
Another key achievement coming out of COP29 was the historic adoption of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, which has long been anticipated as a critical framework for advancing carbon markets – enabling higher polluters to offset some of their emissions by purchasing carbon credits from countries with lower emissions. After years of stalled negotiations, countries reached a breakthrough that establishes a practical mechanism for cooperation on emissions reductions. It includes two approaches for this: Article 6.2, which allows countries to trade carbon credits bilaterally under their own rules and terms, and Article 6.4, a UN-governed market that anyone can buy credits through. However, some parties felt that the quick adoption process made the agreed language weak regarding transparency and inconsistency, and didn’t allow enough time for proper consultations regarding human rights protections and the inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in decision-making.
Reflections on events I attended:
I am incredibly passionate about youth climate education and marine conservation, so the events I attended largely centered around these topics. One event I attended that was particularly inspiring was titled “The Need for Locally-Led and Context-specific Climate Education” at the Children and Youth Pavilion. Here, I met Ramat J. Owolabi from Nigeria, a youth representative from Brain Builders Youth Development Initiative, a women and youth-led NGO that champions gender rights and uplift marginalized populations in Nigeria through initiatives that promote the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). She shared innovative tools she worked with to educate Nigerian youth, such as her Climate Champs Flashcards, a climate education game inspired by an already popular flashcard game in Nigeria that teaches and quizzes on climate facts. In the panel, Ramat highlighted the importance of identifying and understanding your audience to create culturally relevant education that can empower and inspire sustainable daily practices, offering a model I hope to replicate in my own work.
Similarly, a panel titled “Achieving 30x30” at the Ocean Pavilion brought together global leaders, including Peter Thomson (UN Ocean Envoy) and Inger Andersen (UNEP Executive Director), to discuss strategies for protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030. There was lots of emphasis on ratifying the High Seas Treaty, which aims to help create marine protected areas on the high seas, before the UN Ocean Conference in Nice, France next June 2025. It must be signed and ratified by at least 60 countries to be ratified – a considerable amount from the current 15 that have signed. These speakers also highlighted the climate-biodiversity nexus that has not been as central to negotiations.
Disappointing Moments
Compared to COP28 in Dubai, I thought that this year’s conference had a slightly more gloomy tone. Talks about limiting warming to 1.5°C have begun to fade as it has become increasingly out of reach, replaced by less ambitious language about staying “below 2°C.” For example, an article I read in The Guardian interviewed 380 IPCC climate scientists on their predictions; 77% think humanity is headed for at least 2.5C of warming. Furthermore, it felt like the host country’s president, Ilham Aliyev, seemed more focused on defending fossil fuels and engaging in discussions with other nations than in pushing for an ambitious and collaborative climate deal. This set a tone that felt less about unity and more about maintaining the business-as-usual status quo, even stating that countries should not be blamed for having oil, gas and other natural resources or bringing them to the market, as they are a “gift of God”.
One of the striking impressions I had at COP29, especially in comparison to COP28, was the noticeable absence of key country leaders, particularly from some of the most polluting nations, including China, India, France, Indonesia, and of course, the United States. Some absences were due to political reasons, such as human rights issues in Azerbaijan, while others, like Papua New Guinea's, seemed to be a form of protest. This lack of leadership was incredibly disheartening, especially given the importance of the decisions made that will shape the most critical years in determining how our fight against climate change will turn out.
In addition, as I highlighted earlier, while the adoption of the NCQG and Article 6 were milestones, they were bittersweet, as the agreements fell short of the transformational change needed. Additionally, the persistent rhetoric of “net-zero” over real-zero was disappointing, given the clear evidence that net-zero efforts have not been enough thus far.
Inspiring moments
On the other hand, an encouraging pattern that I noticed a significant increase in youth-focused events! For example, a panel I attended called "Youth-Powered Blue Economy: A Catalyst for Ocean Justice and Equity" was a powerful showcase of how young people are leading the way in climate solutions. Also, as I outlined earlier, a panel at the Children and Youth pavilion that featured Ramat J. Owolabi from Nigeria (who showcased her climate education flashcards game) further highlighted the incredible energy and creativity youth bring to climate action. After my conversation with her, I felt incredibly empowered and inspired by the realization that youth voices are growing louder and stronger, and it is clear that real progress on climate action will depend on empowering and listening to the next generation.
Furthermore, seeing leaders at the America Is All In panels talk about the importance of continuing ambitious climate goals despite political uncertainty with Trump’s reelection surprisingly filled me with hope for a more inclusive and effective future. For example, discussions led by Ali Zaidi, White House National Climate Advisor, underscored the need to maintain momentum on climate action, even as federal spending faces potential cuts under a new administration. Zaidi highlighted the need to cement Biden's climate legacy through decarbonization, climate finance, and lifting up the Dubai consensus on ambitious NDCs to ensure as much meaningful progress is done before Biden leaves office and ensure policies remain “sticky” for years to come.
Another inspiring moment came during a conversation with Barry Parking, Chief Procurement and Sustainability Officer at Mars Inc.. He emphasized the critical role of the private sector in driving climate change solutions, explaining that companies matter just as much as countries. This really resonated with me, as he explained that Mars alone has a footprint of just under 30 million tonnes of CO2, equivalent to the emissions of a small country. He shared how Mars has set an impressive target to achieve net zero emissions across Mars’ full value chain by 2050. However, their suppliers have an even larger footprint, comparable to medium-sized nations. Parking pointed out a critical gap: despite widespread net-zero commitments, there is a lack of transparency and accountability for performance. Thus, it is clear that the private sector is incredibly powerful and must be held accountable if we want to meet our climate goals.
On a more personal note, COP29 was an invaluable opportunity to deepen my understanding and engage with experts in the field of marine conservation, directly benefiting my thesis research at Yale. My thesis focuses on the effectiveness of the Cocos Island Marine Protected Area in Costa Rica, using AIS satellite systems to track vessel trajectories and assess fishing practices. One of the most enriching experiences was discussing the economic impacts of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) with researcher Sameer Swarup from Duke University, whose work in the Maldives explores the effectiveness of MPAs from an economic perspective. We exchanged ideas on empowering local communities to actively manage MPAs, particularly through capacity-building programs that integrate monitoring tools into their daily routines, such as app-based solutions. Sameer's insights are incredibly relevant to my research, and I look forward to continuing our conversation as we explore potential collaborations to enhance the technical aspects of my investigation.
Concluding thoughts
Overall, COP29 left me feeling both encouraged by the progress made and determined to continue pushing for more ambitious, inclusive, and effective climate action in the future, while still aware of the incredible work that still needs to be done. It is clear that the private sector, youth leaders, and strong political commitment will be essential in moving the needle toward a sustainable future for us all.
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