Last week, João Medeiros, one of the Co-Leaders of OC Ambassador program had the fantastic opportunity to join over 70 thousand people that attend COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan , where Climate and Environmental Scientists, Lawyers and Economists, were together with Politicians , Diplomats and people from all over the World to debate and create policies related to the annual commitment of States and Governments for dealing with the Climate Crises. Through this experience, he was able to be in contact and network with people from all over the world, part of countries delegations on COP, where nearly 200 countries were represented.
For João, the highlight of his experience was his presentation and her team´s colleagues had to make a presentation in the Portuguese Pavilion about the project they made related to people´s engagement on environmental and sustainable behaviours. On this project called “Viagem pelo Clima” (Climate Journey) promoted by Get2c, 3 teams competed to tour the country in the most sustainable way possible. In this trip, teams needed to promote sustainable activities in the municipalities they pass through, focusing their activities on the community’s and municipalities necessities. Through this project they were able to understand what municipalities, NGOs and enterprises are doing to deal with the Climate Crises.
Being able to be part of the Portuguese Delegation on COP29, enabled him to share his insights, knowledge and vision related to the Project that they have done and also his vision on Environmental and Ocean Protection, Circular and Blue Economy, where Ocean Community has made a huge work. Being able to engage with worldwide like-minded individuals passionate about creating a positive impact shows how the whole world is coming together to deal and to create solutions to these issues.
At COP29, Ocean Sustainability was a central theme, with several Pavilions hosting events and talks about projects and topics related to these issues, being some of them related to Ocean Role on Carbon Neutrality, Marine Protected Areas, The 30x30 Biodiversity Goal, Deep Ocean Biodiversity and Challenges, Sustainable Blue Economy role´s and the mobilization of financial resources on its development, Sea level Rise, Ocean PolicyMaking, Ocean Conservation and many more.
Despite big differences in the results achieved, with Developing Countries initially demanding a new global climate finance goal (NCQG) of S$1.3 trillion annually with public funds and grants predominating, COP29 established a new global climate finance goal (NCQG), with an initial target of US$300 billion/year by 2035, led by developed countries, replacing the previous target of US$100 billion/year.
These results demonstrate the discrepancy in objectives that exists between developed and developing countries, as a result of the political and economic instability that some of these countries are passing through recently. However, a new goal achieved demonstrates the importance that COP can have in solving global problems, even in troubled times, and through that create a platform of understanding between countries to promote the fight against climate change, and to promote International Cooperation between countries.